Napoli vs. AC Milan preview, prediction, team news and head-to-head

The Milan outfit are looking to retain the title, while Antonio Conte’s Blues are hoping for a chance to win this competition for the first time in over a decade.

Napoli were brought back down to earth by a 2-0 defeat away to Benfica in the Champions League, before compounding matters with a narrow 1-0 loss against Udinese at the weekend.

Those results marked the first time since October that the Partenopei have suffered consecutive defeats.

Despite that setback, the domestic picture remains finely balanced, as Napoli remain firmly in the hunt for the Serie A title, with two points separating the top three. 

This Supercoppa encounter offers Conte an opportunity to reset momentum, particularly after a run of five straight wins that immediately preceded their current dip.

However, tightening up defensively will be key if they are to add to that tally. They arrive having failed to keep a clean sheet in four matches, a sharp contrast to the six shutouts they recorded in seven games earlier in the campaign.

AC Milan, meanwhile, arrive with far fewer concerns despite surrendering top spot in Serie A last weekend following a 2-2 home draw with Sassuolo. 

That result continued a pattern of stalemates – five of their last 11 competitive fixtures have ended level – something Massimiliano Allegri will be keen to address.

Still, the Rossoneri’s overall consistency has been impressive. Aside from a narrow Coppa Italia defeat to Lazio, Milan have lost just once in their last 16 matches in all competitions. 

Currently sitting second in the league, only a point behind rivals Inter, they are in the picture for the Serie A title. 

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In recent overall meetings, Milan have held the edge, winning four of the last eight encounters (D2, L2), including a 2-1 success at San Siro earlier this season.

Kevin De Bruyne remains unavailable for Napoli due to injury, while Romelu Lukaku also continues his spell on the sidelines.

Additional absentees include Billy Gilmour (groin), Alex Meret (foot), Frank Anguissa (thigh) and Juan Jesus.

AC Milan’s Youssouf Fofana misses out for the Rossoneri, while Rafael Leao is racing against time to recover from a calf issue and will be assessed late on.

Santiago Giménez (ankle) is ruled out, while Matteo Gabbia remains doubtful.

Napoli: Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Di Lorenzo, McTominay, Elmas, Spinazzola; David Neres, Hojlund, Lang

AC Milan: Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Nkunku

Napoli’s recent wobble and lengthy injury list could leave them vulnerable against a Milan side that has shown greater consistency across the campaign. While Conte’s men have the individual quality to respond, Milan’s balance and resilience may prove decisive on neutral soil.

Correct score prediction: Napoli 1-2 AC Milan

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Betting tips:

• Bet on AC Milan to qualify 

• Both teams to score

• Over 2.5 goals