Previous Napoli v Como match-ups
Napoli are gearing up for their seventh Serie A fixture of the campaign against one of the league's form sides. Cesc Fabregas's Como visit the Stadio Maradona off the back of impressive wins over Atalanta and Verona, having picked up just two points in their first four outings.
Napoli, however, have won 77% of their Serie A meetings with Como (17 of 22), the highest percentage against any of the teams they have faced more than six times in the top flight.
Indeed, the Azzurri have triumphed on each of the 11 times they have met in Naples. Only Inter can boast a longer 100% home record against against a single team in Serie A, winning 12 of 12 against Pro Patria, while Juventus also have an 11-game record, against Foggia.
Como failed to score in seven of those 11 defeats and have only recorded more blanks on the road against Juventus (eight times in 14 trips).
In total Napoli have racked up 50 league goals in 22 games against Como, who have only conceded more to Inter (51 in 26 matches).
Fabregas's side starting to click
Como have taken eight points from their first six league games this term (W2, D2, L2), a haul they have bettered only four times in Serie A after the same number of matches (calculating three points for a win): in 1949/50 (10), 1950/51 (11), 1951/52 (9) and 1986/87 (10).
Much of the credit for this strong start must go to the former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder at the helm. After a tricky settling-in phase, Fabregas has got his team ticking over nicely – certainly in attack, where they have hit three goals in back-to-back top-flight fixtures for the first time since 1951/52 (against Udinese and Legnano). The side from Lombardy are playing an exciting brand of football with blistering counter-attacks and rapid forward passes.
Both teams are among those with the most balls won high up the field (less than 40 metres from the opposition goal): 43 each, the same as Juventus and fewer only than Roma (54) and Bologna (51).
Only Milan (17) and Lecce (14) have registered more direct attacks than Como (13, level with Parma) in the 2024/25 Serie A, with Napoli (12) just behind them.
Como have fared well defensively too, conceding just 62 shots so far, the same as Lazio, more than only Juventus (40) and Milan (57) and one less than Napoli (63). However, that has led to 11 goals conceded, compared to an Expected Goals Against of 6.9 – 4.1 more than their xGA.
Attacking trio of Cutrone, Paz and Strefezza
Central to Como's well-oiled attacking play has been Patrick Cutrone firing on all cylinders. The striker has found the net four times already this term, one more than in his previous top-flight campaign (2021/22), when he scored three in 28 appearances for Empoli. His career-best Serie A season came in 2017/18 in an AC Milan shirt. His conversion rate of 22.5% is bettered only by Mateo Retegui (23.5%) among players who have taken at least 15 shots this season.
Tucked in behind the front man is Gabriel Strefezza, who netted in the last game against Verona and is the forward with the third most duels won, after Milan Djuric (45) and Daniel Maldini (43).
Even more influential has been Nico Paz. The Real Madrid academy product is the midfielder who has attempted the most dribbles (25, completing 12 of them – fewer than only Reda Belahyane's 13 in the same position), has had the most shots (15), and has had the most efforts on target (six), level with Christian Pulisic. Only two midfielders younger than Paz have laid on more than one assist across the top five European leagues this term: Joao Neves (five, 27 September 2004) and Facundo Buonanotte (two, 23 December 2004). Como's Spaniard (8 September 2004) also has two assists to his name.
