Previous encounters
Second-placed Napoli host league leaders Inter on Saturday evening to see who will end the weekend top of the Serie A pile.
The Nerazzurri and the Partenopei go into the game separated by a single point. Only seven times in the last ten seasons have the top two have faced off so close together – and only on one occasion has such a meeting taken place at a later point in the season. On that occasion, Napoli were beaten 1-0 by Milan on home soil, with Olivier Giroud netting the only goal.
This is the fifth time in the last decade (since 2015/16) that Napoli and Inter have played each other while occupying the top two spots at the start of the weekend. On the four previous occasions, Napoli won once (2-1 with a Gonzalo Higuain double on 30 November 2015) followed by three draws, including the 1-1 in the reverse fixture this season.
However, Napoli have not fared particularly well in recent encounters with the Nerazzurri, winning just one of the last 11 league meetings (D4, L6). The Azzurri haven't kept a clean sheet against Inter since a 0-0 draw at San Siro in March 2018. Since then, Inter have scored at least once in the last 13 match-ups.
Nerazzurri arsenal and an intriguing aerial contest
Inter and Napoli are the two most experienced teams in Serie A considering the average age of starters and substitutes (Inter 29 years, 194 days; Napoli 28 years, 209 days), so it is likely to be a very close encounter that will be decided by fine details.
Nullifying the firepower of a team like Inter is no easy task for any team. Simone Inzaghi's side have had more different goalscorers than anyone else this term (17) and have only managed more in 2007/08 and 2019/20 (18 on both occasions).
The Nerazzurri boast the best attacking record both overall and away from home, despite failing to find the net in their last two trips on the road
The reigning champions have scored the most goals from set-pieces in 2024/25 (nine from corners, another league high) but will be up against the team with the best record defending dead-ball situations (just two conceded, both of which penalties).
It will be interesting to see who emerges victorious from the aerial battle, since Inter have scored the most headers in Europe's top five leagues (11, the same as Atalanta) while Napoli are the only team in the same five leagues who are yet to concede a single headed goal.
Thu-La threat plus Dimarco and Dumfries danger
After going four league games without finding the net, Lautaro Martinez was back on target last weekend with a match-winning strike against Genoa. That goal takes the Argentine's tally to ten for the campaign, making him the first foreigner in Inter history to reach double figures in six different Serie A seasons.
Meanwhile the Inter captain's strike partner, Marcus Thuram, is already on 13 for the campaign.
Napoli v Inter is likely to feature three of the league's most dangerous full-backs. In the last five Serie A seasons (since 2020/21), Theo Hernandez (44) is the only full-back to have taken part in more goals (scored and assisted) than Federico Dimarco (37, 19G + 18A), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (33, 11G+22A) and Denzel Dumfries (29, 16G+13A; Marco Faraoni also on 29).
The Dutchman currently has 16 goals for the club, the same number as club legend Maicon One more goal would make him Inter's highest-scoring foreign defender in the Italian top flight.
Stats by Opta
