Previous encounters
Napoli and Genoa will be facing off at the Stadio Maradona on Sunday afternoon at 18:00 on matchday six of the 2025/26 Serie A season. The two teams have played a total of 61 competitive matches against each other at the Maradona, with 29 wins for Napoli, 22 draws and 10 wins for Genoa.
In the past 15 matches at the Maradona, Genoa have never won: they have collected six draws and nine losses.
Their latest win in Naples dates back to 22 February 2009: a league match that ended 1-0, with a goal by Bosko Janvokic and Gian Piero Gasperini as their coach.
On 16 May 1982 Genoa pulled off a decisive 2-2 at the Stadio San Paolo and avoided relegation: first a goal by Genoa’s Massimo Briaschi, then a two-goal comeback by Napoli with Antonino Criscimanni and Gaetano Musella, and in the final five minutes the equaliser scored by Mario Faccenda.
The last time Napoli had been top of the league after five matchdays was in the 2021/22 season: back then the Azzurri were clear at the top with 15 points.
Napoli are among the three 2025/26 Serie A teams high the highest number of different scorers: eight of their players have scored in the past five matches, the same number as Inter and Juventus. Kevin De Bruyne has scored his third goal this season: he scored all these goals in away matches.
Match analysis
SWITCHING APPROACH – Patrick Vieira’s Genoa are a team who easily switch from pressing high to sitting back, man-to-man marking to space coverage, as well as from direct attacks to elaborate build-ups. We have already seen this last season, and it makes Genoa a tricky opponent: their pressure is well organised and they often stopped the opposition from playing out, as was the case last year in their away match against Como, which ended in a 1-1 draw; their counter-attacks through the wide areas, such as the goal by Mikael Egill Ellertsson away against Bologna; direct attacks, such as the many long passes over the opponents’ defence to serve Lorenzo Colombo or the runs into the box.
TRANSITIONS AND DIRECT ATTACKS – Genoa have two characteristics that are worth noting: their direct attacks and fast transitions. Nicola Leali, as well as the centre-backs and Aaron Martin, are often used to accelerate the build-up and quickly reach the forwards. When the opponents move into Genoa’s half with at least eight players, there are spaces that open up behind the full-backs, spaces that could be taken in a pre-emptive movement, which would force the centre-backs to choose between leaving the central space or staying there, thus however conceding space to Genoa. In their away match against Bologna, Genoa clearly sought to play direct football, starting from the goalkeeper, but generally bypassing the first third of the pitch with a long pass.
The match will be officiated by Federico La Penna.
* Dati Kama.Sport
