OPTA FOCUS – STATS AND FACTS AHEAD OF JUVENTUS V NAPOLI
After three consecutive Serie A wins against Bologna, Parma and Cagliari, Antonio Conte’s Napoli are preparing to face Juventus. On Saturday 21 September at 18:00 CEST, the Azzurri will head to the Allianz Stadium to chase a fourth consecutive win in the top flight, a feat not achieved since January and February 2023 when, under Luciano Spalletti, they secured eight consecutive victories during the historic Scudetto-winning season. In recent encounters, Napoli have certainly had the upper hand against the Old Lady, winning six of the last nine clashes, which equals the number of victories they had managed in their previous 22 meetings in the league. However, there is a clear reversal of fortune when considering only away games. In Turin, Juventus have beaten Napoli in ten of the last 13 showdowns, including the most recent one last season (a 1-0 win with a decisive goal by Federico Gatti). Furthermore, among teams Napoli have faced at least 15 times away in Serie A, Juventus are one of two (along with Inter) against whom the Azzurri have the lowest win percentage on the road. Napoli have secured just nine wins in 78 meetings at Juventus, (12% while there have been 21 draws and 48 losses).
JUVENTUS: IMPENETRABLE DEFENCE AND GREAT CONTROL
After a blistering start to the season with back-to-back 3-0 triumphs, Juventus have recorded two goalless draws in a row in Serie A. There’s no cause for concern, given the need to integrate the many new signings and especially following the 3-1 Champions League victory over PSV Eindhoven in midweek. However, it is clear that once again Juventus’ defensive phase, historically the club’s trademark, has been a standout feature in the early stage of the season. Juventus are the only team yet to concede a goal this season across the top five European leagues. The Bianconeri have also faced the fewest shots on target (five) and have the lowest expected goals against (1.5). Additionally, they rank third for allowing the fewest touches in their penalty area (47), behind Getafe (38) and Bayern Munich (39). Juventus have had 44 attempts on goal, 16 of which were on target, with an expected goals value of 3.8. Thiago Motta’s team have already demonstrated their ability to dominate the play, as shown by their average of 5.45 passes per sequence and 88 sequences of at least ten passes, both of which are clear records in the current campaign.
VLAHOVIC SUPPORTED BY KOOPMEINERS. KEEP AN EYE ON STARLET YILDIZ
Juventus’s main threat is Dusan Vlahovic, the top scorer in Serie A in 2024 so far, having netted 12 goals this calendar year. The Serbian is keen to improve his September stats (five goals in 18 matches, averaging 0.28 per game). Another key figure is new arrival Teun Koopmeiners, who is set to bolster the team in attacking midfield. The Dutchman is the only midfielder to have contributed to at least 30 goals over the past three Serie A seasons – 31 in total (22 goals, nine assists), at least five more than any other player in his position. Since his Serie A debut, he has scored nine goals from distance, a record he shares with team-mate Vlahovic, Paulo Dybala and Ruslan Malinovskyi. Finally, watch out for the Turkish prodigy Kenan Yildiz. With two assists already this campaign, the number 10 broke through in the Champions League against PSV Eindhoven, becoming the youngest player to score for Juventus in the competition, surpassing the legendary Alessandro Del Piero (who was 20 years and 308 days old when he scored against Borussia Dortmund on 13 September 1995). This historic goal will undoubtedly give him even more confidence heading into this crucial match.
Article by the Opta editorial team
