On Friday, matchday 18 of the 2022/23 Serie A season gets of to a bang as Napoli and Juventus face off. The Partenopei and the Bianconeri are currently first and second in the table, with hosts Napoli currently holding a seven point advantage.
A quick glance may lead one to believe that it's firmly advantage Napoli, especially as Luciano Spalletti's side have had a very strong season so far. Despite seeing their unbeaten run end as Inter beat them 1-0 in their first game of 2023, the Partnenopei have been quite formidable, especially in attack, with their 39 goals helping them boast the strongest offense of all 20 teams in Serie A.
However, a deeper look at some interesting stats may make for some concerning reading for Napoli fans, who are hoping to see their team win their first Scudetto in over 30 years.
Juventus's mean defense
Juventus may have had a rough start to the season, but one thing that has been constant for Massimiliano Allegri's side is their mean defense. So far, La Vecchia Signora have conceded just seven goals so far in Serie A, making their defense the strongest in the league.
Attack is very important, naturally, but so is defense. Indeed, in the last 15 seasons, only one team have failed to win the Scudetto after boasting the strongest defense in the league. Of course, Juve's defense will come under threat from Napoli's free-flowing attack, but it likely will not be the easiest evening for Spalletti's team, especially considering this next point...
A perfect eight for the Bianconeri
Allegri's men come into this match on an eight game winning streak in Serie A. The last time Juventus lost a league match was back on October 8th, when they were beaten 2-0 by current reigning Scudetto holders AC Milan.
In addition, not only have Juventus won their last eight on the trot, which has helped them surge up the table into second spot, but also have done so without conceding a single goal. The last time they won eight in a row was back in 2018, when they won the Scudetto with Allegri on the tactician's bench.
Napoli's record of capitulating
Speaking of 2018, that will not be a year Napoli fans will remember fondly. Nor will they remember the 2015/16 campaign with great memories either, as the team were leading the table only to capitulate and see Juventus win the Scudetto.
The same happened once again during the 2017/18 season, where once, again, Maurizio Sarri decided to throw all his efforts into winning the league title. Despite earning a club record of 91 points, it still was not enough as Juventus beat them to the Scudetto by four points.
Certainly, while Napoli's seven point advantage does give them a buffer, Partenopei fans will not be too eager to count their chickens before they hatch, as a win for Juventus would see that comfortable lead cut to a very nervy four.
No home pitch comforts when first face second
Interestingly, the last six games that have featured the two top teams in the table have not gone in favor of the home team.
Specifically, the home team have failed to win in those six instances, with one draw and five losses so far. In addition, Juventus are unbeaten in their last eight meetings (W6 D2) when facing the team who are currently on top of the table at the start of a matchday.
But is it all major worry for Napoli?
Not necessarily. Juventus have their own hoodoo when it comes to facing the Partenopei. Not only have they lost in their last three Serie A visits to Napoli's home ground, but they have lost 70 times against Napoli, which is more than against any other opponent in the league.
All in all, this will be a big game for calcio fans around the world, and one that could very well cause some major shake-ups in the Scudetto race. Make sure you don't miss out on Napoli vs. Juventus, including a full match preview, team news, where to watch it, and more, by checking out this piece.
