With AC Milan having booked their ticket in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, there are just two more spots up for grabs. Interestingly, the final four will not be an all-Serie A affair as lower-tier outfit Alessandria are keen to keep their Cinderella story going and have secured their spot as they hope to cause another upset, this time against Milan. Hence, as Napoli prepare to take on Inter and Lazio battle Juventus, only two of these four esteemed teams will be heading to what will be a mouth-watering semi-final clash starting later this month.
Napoli
The match-up between the Partenopei and the Nerazzurri will surely be a tense one as it pits the best offense against the strongest defense in Serie A. Maurizio Sarri's side have been experiencing their best season in decades and despite downplaying talk of a possible Scudetto in May, they certainly look as solid contenders.
For starters, Napoli were crowned "winter champions" - a title in name only - but the last time they started the midway point of a Serie A season on top of the table, they won the league title 26 years ago. As to whether this is a good sign of things to come will be decided in about four months' time, but first up will be taking on Inter as they hope to take one step closer towards the Coppa Italia final and win at least one piece of silverware this season.
So far in this tournament, Napoli, who started off in the round of 16 after finishing third in the league last season, have not been troubled. They were paired with Hellas Verona - a team yet to win a game this year - and easily brushed aside the Gialloblu 3-0. Having battled back to an impressive and deserved 3-1 win over plucky side Sassuolo this past weekend, the hosts will be feeling full of confidence, but will know that Inter, with one of the best goalkeepers in the league - and perhaps even in Europe - between the posts will present them with a much tougher task.
Key to Napoli's success this season has been the excellent form of Gonzalo Higuain, who has scored 20 in the league and 22 in all competitions, but has not yet opened his Coppa Italia account. With five consecutive wins, including four straight in Serie A, Napoli fans will surely be encouraged by the team's performances and to make things even better, Sarri will have pretty much a full-strength line-up to choose from, meaning that he can field his best starting XI against Inter later today.
Inter
Meanwhile, Inter, who were on top of the table in round 18, missed the chance to become winter champions as they were undone 1-0 by Sassuolo. Roberto Mancini's side have hit a slight bump in the Scudetto race as of late as they were held 1-1 by Atalanta, which has seen them slip into third - four behind upcoming opponents Napoli and two behind Juventus, who recorded their 10th straight win this past weekend. Unlike their hosts, Inter have no European football to contend with this season and so are focusing all their efforts on securing their first Scudetto and Coppa Italia since 2010 and 2011 respectively.
Like Napoli, Inter - who finished in eighth last season - entered this competition at the round of 16 juncture and easily brushed by Cagliari 3-0 to earn their spot in this round. Having conceded just 13 goals this campaign, their defense, anchored by Slovenian international Samir Handanović in goal, will certainly be asked a lot of questions by Napoli's potent attack, which have scored a whopping 66 goals (including 41 alone in Serie A) already this season.
Mancini, like Sarri, will also have the overwhelming majority of his squad available to him, including Felipe Melo, who has missed out on the last few league games due to suspension. Cup ties often see a coach rotate his squad, so viewers may see some different faces in the starting XI, but with this representing one clear-cut chance for Inter to claim some silverware this season, expect the former Manchester City boss to definitely field a pretty strong line-up.
Which channel is broadcasting Napoli vs Inter on TV or Online?
Both the Partenopei and the Nerazzurri have enjoyed excellent domestic campaigns so far this season and will certainly want to have the chance to lift the Coppa Italia along with the Scudetto this May. If you are currently in Southern Italy, you may be heading to the Stadio San Paolo to watch Napoli take on Inter live, but if you are too far away, no worries. LiveSoccerTV.com has options to catch this game via TV, computer, phone, or tablet, and here are some choices for fans residing in the following countries:
- In Italy at 20.45 CET on: RAI Uno
- In the UK at 19.45 GMT on: Sky Sports 2/HD, Sky Go UK, SKY GO Extra, NOW TV UK
Live elsewhere? Check out our special Napoli vs. Inter broadcast page to find viewing times and options for wherever you currently call home.
*Note: Live broadcast data is subject to change*
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