Napoli vs Sassuolo

Serie A action continues at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona today, Saturday, January 17, 2026, as Napoli hosts Sassuolo.¹ Kick-off is scheduled for 18:00 CET (17:00 GMT / 12:00 ET).

Napoli enters this fixture in 3rd place (39 points), trailing league leaders Inter Milan by four points. Antonio Conte’s side is looking to snap a streak of three consecutive league draws and regain momentum in the Scudetto race.³ Sassuolo, currently in 11th place (23 points), arrives in Naples aiming to end a five-match winless run.

Match Information

Napoli: Overcoming the Injury Crisis

Antonio Conte continues to manage a heavily depleted squad.⁵ The "Partenopei" are missing several high-profile starters, which has forced tactical rotations in recent weeks.⁶ Despite these challenges, Napoli remains formidable at home, maintaining a 19-game unbeaten streak at the Maradona.

Team News and Selection:

• Managerial Note: Antonio Conte serves the second of a two-game touchline ban today; assistant Cristian Stellini will lead from the dugout.⁷

   

   

• Key Absences: Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Frank Anguissa, and Billy Gilmour are all sidelined with injuries.⁸ Goalkeeper Alex Meret also remains out.⁹

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• Returns: Defender Juan Jesus is back after serving a suspension.¹⁰ David Neres is available but may start on the bench following a minor ankle scare.

   

   

• Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Rrahmani, Jesus; Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Politano, Elmas (or Vergara); Höjlund.¹¹

   

   

Sassuolo: Seeking Stability

Fabio Grosso’s Sassuolo has struggled for consistency in early 2026.¹² The "Neroverdi" have found goals hard to come by in the absence of their talismanic captain and have slipped into the bottom half of the table after a poor December run.

Team News and Selection:

• Major Absence: Domenico Berardi is out with a significant flexor injury and is not expected back until later this month at the earliest.¹³

   

   

• Other Injuries: Kristian Thorstvedt is sidelined with a shoulder contusion.¹⁴

   

   

• Tactical Approach: Sassuolo is expected to play a compact 4-3-3, relying on the pace of Armand Laurienté to exploit Napoli’s high defensive line.

• Predicted XI (4-3-3): Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muharemovic, Doig; Matic, Lipani, Koné; Fadera, Pinamonti, Laurienté.

Head-to-Head (H2H) and Key Stats

• Recent Dominance: Napoli has won the last six meetings against Sassuolo across all competitions.

• Reverse Fixture: Napoli secured a 2–0 victory at the Mapei Stadium in August 2025. 

• Home Record: Napoli has only lost one home fixture against Sassuolo in their history (W9, D2, L1). 

• The "McKing" Factor: Scott McTominay has been Napoli’s standout performer during this injury crisis, scoring three goals in his last four appearances.

Tactical Preview and Prediction

Napoli’s primary challenge will be breaking down a Sassuolo side likely to sit deep and defend in numbers. With Rasmus Höjlund leading the line in place of Lukaku, Napoli will look to use the width provided by Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Leonardo Spinazzola to create overloads.

Sassuolo’s best chance lies in the transition. If Nemanja Matić can disrupt Napoli's rhythm in midfield, the visitors may find opportunities to frustrate the hosts. However, Napoli's defensive organization and the form of McTominay should be enough to secure a narrow victory.

Final Score Prediction: Napoli 2–0 Sassuolo