Napoli will host AC Milan in Week 28 of the 2022-2023 Serie A season at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Sunday (4/3/2023) evening ET. This match will be a tough test for both teams who are ambitious to achieve maximum results.
Napoli currently leads the standings with 71 points from 27 matches, 23 points ahead of AC Milan who are in fourth place. The Partenopei are also the team with the fewest defeats in Serie A this season, only twice.
However, Napoli cannot be complacent because AC Milan is the defending champion and has the potential to make a splash. The Rossoneri need a win to maintain any chance of finishing in the top four and catch second-placed Lazio.
This match will also be a meeting between the two teams that have qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals this season. Napoli will face AC Milan themselves in the last eight first leg on April 13.
Welcoming one of Europe’s greatest teams, Napoli will be without their mainstay striker Victor Osimhen who suffered a muscle injury while defending Nigeria in the African Cup qualifiers. Osimhen is confirmed to be out for two weeks and is likely to be replaced by Giovanni Simeone.
On the other hand, AC Milan also lost several important players due to injury, such as Alessio Romagnoli, Simon Kjaer, Theo Hernandez, Sandro Tonali and Ante Rebic. Coach Stefano Pioli had to rack his brains to determine his best line-up.
However, AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic admits that he is optimistic that he can bring his team to victory in Naples. He said that Milan had a winning mentality and were not afraid to face anyone. He is also looking forward to a duel with Napoli in the Champions League.
Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti said that the match against AC Milan would be a big challenge for his team, because Milan is a strong and experienced team. He also emphasized that Napoli must not be careless and must focus on every match.
Based on predictions from several soccer sites, Napoli and AC Milan look equally strong. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 final score on the grounds that Napoli will indeed dominate ball possession more, but AC Milan will rely on quick counterattacks. However, Sportkeeda also predicts a 2-1 scoreline arguing that Napoli will take advantage of their home advantage and high confidence to beat struggling AC Milan. While Sportmole predicts a score of 1-2 for AC Milan on the grounds that Milan will take advantage of Napoli’s condition which is not strengthened by Victor Osimhen and may play with a back-up team.
Interesting Statistics and Facts
Napoli and AC Milan have a fairly balanced meeting record in Serie A. Of the 46 matches that have been played, Napoli won 15 times, AC Milan won 14 times, and the rest ended in draws. The number of goals scored by both teams is also the same 57.
Napoli have the advantage at home, winning 9 out of 22 matches, while AC Milan have only won 6. Napoli are also more productive in front of goal, scoring 34 goals and only conceding 29 goals.
AC Milan is slightly better away from home, winning 6 out of 22 matches, while Napoli have only won 6. AC Milan is also sharper in attack, scoring 29 goals and only conceding 28 goals.
The Napoli vs AC Milan match can be watched via live streaming on several television channels and the following link:
Hungary: Sport1; Romania: Sport1, Digi Sport 2; Portugal: Sport TV3; Finland: C More Sport 2; France: beIN Sports 1; Spain: M+ LCAMPEONES; United States: Paramount+
You can also follow the live stream on the official Serie A website or through the Serie A Pass application available on the Google Play Store and App Store.
