Atalanta vs Napoli Prediction 18 January 2025

🔊 Can Atalanta once again assert themselves as championship contenders? The "Queen of the Provincials" hasn't won in four matches and has fallen 4 points behind the leading Napoli. Antonio Conte's team also cannot afford to slip up - Inter is closing in. In this situation, we will try to analyze all the details to provide you with an accurate prediction for the central match of the 21st round of Serie A, which will be held at "Gewiss Stadium".

📊 Head-to-Head

The head-to-head encounters between the teams are evenly matched. Over a stretch of 40 matches, Atalanta achieved a positive result in 15 cases, whereas Napoli recorded one more victory (16). However, in the game that took place in the first round, spectators did not witness an equal fight. The "Queen of the Provincials" destroyed the opponent with a score of 3-0, and they did it away from home.

🔵 Atalanta

What is happening with Atalanta in recent matches? The team has not been able to win for 4 games in a row, which has dropped them to third place in the Serie A standings. Undoubtedly, this unsuccessful series of matches can be linked to a tough schedule, as during this period, Gian Piero Gasperini's team managed to face Lazio, Inter, and Juventus. As for the game against the "Old Lady," Atalanta was not impressive at all. From a team that played with the support of home fans, more active attacking actions were expected, but in the end, it was Juventus that created more dangerous moments. Under the circumstances, a draw (1-1) can be considered a successful result for the team from Bergamo. In the upcoming match, however, the coaching staff will not be able to count on 3 players, including main defender Sead Kolašinac (accumulation of yellow cards) and Odion Kossounou (muscle injury).

⚪ Napoli

Before the start of the championship, few could have predicted that Napoli would seriously contend for the title. But Antonio Conte is a professional at his craft. The Italian specialist set his team on achieving the highest result from the very beginning, and the team does not disappoint him. Currently, the "Partenopei" lead the Italian championship standings with 47 points. As for recent matches, there is nothing to criticize - 5 wins out of 5. In the previous round, for example, Napoli easily dealt with Verona (2-0), which managed to deliver an unexpected defeat to strong Bologna (3-2) at the end of December. There are no staffing issues either. In the upcoming match, only Alessandro Buongiorno's participation is in doubt.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Despite meeting some of Serie A's leaders, one should not expect overly high-scoring football in the upcoming match for several reasons. Firstly, this is characteristic of Napoli's style. If the "Partenopei" score first, they immediately start withdrawing from active offensive actions and begin to hold onto their gained advantage. Secondly, lately, Atalanta itself has not been pleasing - only 2 goals scored in over 360 minutes of play. Therefore, our editorial team bets on total under 2.5.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Napoli is a big fan of set pieces near the opponent's goal. The team not only frequently approaches the corner flag (an average of 6.0 times per game) but also often converts crosses into goals. In terms of average corner totals, the "Partenopei" rank second in Serie A, with numbers only surpassed by Inter (6.2). Despite the upcoming match being held at "Gewiss Stadium," Napoli's total corners over 4.5 should still come through without any problems.

📝 Editorial Prediction

According to bookmakers, Atalanta is the favorite for the upcoming match. However, we do not agree with them on this matter. Yes, in the first round, the "Queen of the Provincials" steamrolled their opponent (3-0), but much has changed since then. Atalanta has transformed from a super-scoring team into one that struggles to bring matches to a logical conclusion. Gian Piero Gasperini's team has not been able to win for 4 games in a row, and the longer this series lasts, the more their confidence fades. Napoli is on a roll and has finished their last three matches with clean-sheet victories. Therefore, our key betting option is Napoli will not lose. We wouldn't be surprised if the visitors win outright, for example, with a score of 0-1.