Previous encounters
Napoli kick off a triple-header of top-of-the-table clashes with a trip to San Siro to face AC Milan on Tuesday evening, before hosting Inter and visiting Atalanta in their next fixtures.
The last Serie A meeting between these two sides was at the Meazza on 11 February this year, when the Rossoneri edged a 1-0 win. However, Milan have only won one of their last nine matches against Napoli played in the first half of the season, drawing two and losing six.
Napoli have often impressed in recent outings to Milan losing on just two of their last 13 visits (W6, D5) going back to the 2011/12 season. Only against Cagliari and Fiorentina (12 each) have the Azzurri managed more unbeaten away games in Serie A in the same period.
Considering all league encounters in the last four seasons, the Rossoneri and Azzurri have won three each, drawing the other two.
Direct and on target
Milan have maintained a similar playing style to last season despite changing coach in the summer. They remain one of the most direct teams in Serie A, recording 20 direct attacks (moves that start in their own half, have at least 50% of forward movement and end in the opposition area) so far this season. Napoli are right behind in the same category, with 19.
The Rossoneri's rapid forward play is helped by the number of players they have who are capable of running with the ball at pace, making then rapid and dangerous on the counter-attack. They are one of five teams who have attempted at least ten shots at the end of a counter-attacking move: Paulo Fonseca's side have managed ten exactly, behind Empoli (16), Inter (15) and Lecce (12).
The Rossoneri also boast the highest percentage of shots on target, with 54% of their efforts calling the opposition keeper into action, and have played 237 balls inside the opposition area – the fourth-highest figure in Serie A (six more than Napoli), despite having played a game less.
Pulisic form, Leao dribbling, Morata goals
Christian Pulisic has been key to the Rossoneri's fortunes in this opening phase of the season, having a hand in at least one goal in the last seven league games (five goals and three assists). Only one Milan player has been involved in at least one goal for more consecutive Serie A matches since statistics began in 2004/05: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with ten between October and December 2010.
Since joining the club in 2023/24, the USA star is one of just two midfielders to have scored more than 15 goals (17, to be precise) and supplied more than ten assists (11) in the top five European leagues (the other is Chelsea's Cole Palmer, with 29 goals and 6 assists).
Rafael Leao took a while to hone his aim against Napoli: he managed no goal involvements in his first four meetings with the Azzurri in all competitions but then recorded four in the next five (two goals and two assists).
Leao and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are the two players with the most successful dribbles in the last three Serie A campaigns (since 2022/23): 172 for the Portuguese and 188 for the Georgian.
Alongside Leao up front will be Alvaro Morata, a player who has scored against Napoli in Serie A before with Juventus. His two league goals so far this season both came at the Stadio Meazza.
Article and stats by Opta
