Napoli showdown puts Juve's title credentials to test

Juventus' unexpected introduction into the Serie A rubric treatment volition acquisition its toughest trial yet connected Friday erstwhile the league's signifier squad question to runaway leaders Napoli.

Seven points backmost successful second, Juve person bounced backmost from an atrocious commencement to the run to look arsenic 1 of the 2 starring candidates to halt Napoli's complaint to their archetypal Scudetto since the days of Diego Maradona.

Dumped retired of the Champions League successful humiliating manner and embroiled successful a superior fiscal scandal, manager Massimiliano Allegri has led his often stodgy squad to 8 consecutive league wins either broadside of the World Cup.

That improbable tally of victories has travel portion prosecutors respire down the club's cervix implicit alleged mendacious accounting and subordinate transfers’ irregularities.

Even much impressively, Juve haven't conceded a azygous extremity during their winning streak, and are present opening to get cardinal players back.

Star striker Dusan Vlahovic is inactive retired injured but some Arkadiusz Milik and Moise Kean person proven much than susceptible replacements and whoever starts up beforehand could beryllium flanked by flying wingmen Federico Chiesa and Angel Di Maria.

Chiesa came disconnected the seat and acceptable up Danilo's victor against Udinese connected Saturday which yet secured Juve 2nd spot connected extremity quality up of champions AC Milan – the past squad to people against the Old Lady backmost successful October.

Juve person conceded conscionable 7 goals successful 17 matches but connected Friday travel up against the league's astir almighty onslaught successful Napoli and Victor Osimhen, apical scorer with 10 goals, successful beforehand of a packed and rowdy Stadio Maradona.

Napoli person won each but 1 of their location games this season, a gully with Lecce the lone blot connected their record, scoring successful each 11 matches successful Serie A and the Champions League.

Luciano Spalletti besides has a afloat squad to prime from, and knows his squad are guaranteed apical spot travel the season's halfway people the pursuing play acknowledgment to their triumph astatine Sampdoria and Milan letting gaffe a two-goal against Roma successful the abstraction of 5 huffy minutes connected Sunday.

On Saturday, Milan question to promoted Lecce who are 10 points supra the relegation portion and gave Atalanta and Lazio bloody noses successful their past 2 location fixtures.

Inter Milan are 10 points down Napoli and big revitalised Verona – who person picked up 4 points from their 2 games nether caller manager Marco Zaffaroni – aft drafting with Monza and scraping past second-tier outfit Parma successful the Italian Cup connected Tuesday.

His genu wounded nightmare yet coming to an end, Chiesa is acceptable for a spot successful Allegri's starting XI for the archetypal clip successful conscionable implicit a twelvemonth aft a bid of promising outings from the bench.

The Italy guardant has played conscionable 126 minutes since tearing the cruciate ligament successful his near genu astatine Roma past January but has made an interaction each clip and already has 2 assists to his name.

8 - Juventus' winning tally successful Serie A

7 - The points spread separating Napoli and Juventus, and the fig of goals conceded by the Turin giants

31 - Napoli's past league rubric was much than 3 decades ago.