Napoli open Serie A season on Sunday against Hellas Verona at Bentegodi
Hellas Verona and Napoli kick off the new Serie A season on Sunday 18 August at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi, with kick-off scheduled for 17:30. Verona, who finished thirteenth last season, begin a new chapter under manager Paolo Zanetti, while Napoli enter the campaign with Antonio Conte at the helm but are troubled by uncertainty surrounding star striker Victor Osimhen.
Verona hoping for a fresh start under Paolo Zanetti
Hellas Verona head into the new season with a completely overhauled coaching staff. On 12 June, Paolo Zanetti took over from Marco Baroni, after the club had scraped to a disappointing thirteenth-place finish last season — just three points above the relegation zone. The Veronese moved decisively in the transfer market in a bid to push forward, bringing in no fewer than nine new players. Notable additions include midfielder Suat Serdar, signed for €4.5 million from Hertha Berlin, and right-back Jackson Tchatchoua, who arrived for €3 million from Belgian side Charleroi. Pre-season initially gave cause for optimism: five friendlies without defeat painted a positive picture. However, that confidence was immediately dented at the first competitive hurdle. Last Saturday, Verona fell to a 2-1 defeat against Serie B side Cesena in the first round of the Coppa Italia, raising questions ahead of the league opener. The historical record against Napoli offers little additional encouragement. In the last fourteen Serie A meetings, Verona have managed just one win, alongside three draws and ten defeats. Their record on opening days is equally modest: in four previous season openers against Napoli, Verona have won once, drawn one and lost two. Tactically, Zanetti is expected to set up in a 4-2-3-1 system with Daniel Mosquera leading the attack. Juan Manuel Cruz is unavailable for this fixture due to a thigh injury.
Napoli with Conte chasing an eighth consecutive opening-day victory
After a turbulent previous season in which three different managers took charge of the side, Napoli opted for a new direction. On 5 June, Antonio Conte was appointed head coach. The experienced manager, who previously guided Juventus and Internazionale to the Scudetto and also had a stint at Tottenham Hotspur, has been tasked with restoring the Azzurri to the upper echelons of Italian football following their failed defence of the title won in 2022-23. Preparations under Conte have largely gone to plan, but a significant cloud of uncertainty hangs over the camp. Star striker Victor Osimhen appears to be heading for the exit, though his departure has yet to be finalised — a situation that makes it difficult to approach the start of the season with full focus. On the pitch, there is also an appealing milestone at stake for Napoli. Victory in Verona would extend their winning run on opening day to eight consecutive games: the Neapolitans have won each of their last seven opening fixtures, a true club record. Conte is expected to deploy a 3-4-2-1 system with Giacomo Raspadori as the central attacking option.
Related
Source: Sportmonks
Comments
- Be the first to comment.