Fresh from back to back victories over Lazio and Udinese, Hellas Verona aim to claim another major scalp when they host title contenders Napoli at Bentegodi. The Azzurri could really use maximum points from this match as they are already ten points behind leaders Juventus, but given the latest form of the opposition that looks easier said than done.

Unstoppable

While many people are wondering just when Hellas Verona will suffer a dip in form and show what they believe is team’s true face, Andrea Mandorlini’s side continue to impress in Italy’s top flight, hinting they maybe are serious top 5 contenders after all. We cannot really speak about the Gialloblu without mentioning effervescent Luca Toni, who has really rolled back the years since joining the club in the summer, having managed 9 goals and 6 assists in 16 league fixture. And while he is the biggest threat for opposition defenders, the likes of Juan Manuel Iturbe, Juan Gomez Taleb, Jorginho and Romulo are all chipping in, with Verona scoring goals for fun regardless of the venue and opposition. Having put four and three past Lazio and Udinese respectively, they can be forgiven for feeling confident ahead of the clash with Napoli, especially considering that the Azzurri arrive without several important defenders. And with the Gialloblu again under absolutely no pressure, they can be trusted to attack their more illustrious rivals from the off, which should result in a very open encounter.

Emil Halfredsson and Ezequiel Cirigliano both return, but Nikolay Mihaylov, Matteo Rubin and Samuele Longo continue to miss out.

Napoli struggle on the road

Napoli officials have done a very good job in the summer transfer window, selling key striker Edinson Cavani, but signing a host of high-quality players, although that did not prove enough to keep up with Serie A leaders Juventus. That is precisely while the Azzurri are set to continue the heavy spending in January, with centre-back, full-back and holding midfielder expected to arrive by the end of the month. Considering they also had to battle in the Champions League group of death, Rafael Benitez’s side did not disappoint in the league, climbing to third position in the standings, although they need to keep winning if they want to hold off challenge from in-form Fiorentina. Decent strength in depth is proving to be a major asset for the Azzurri this season, with even the back-up players stepping up to the plate when called into action, and it is quite impressive how attacking midfielders and forwards have distributed goals evenly between them. This basically means that Hellas Verona defenders will have their work cut out for them when they face the likes of Higuain, Callejon, Martens and Pandev, although the visitors will have tough time trying to outscore the in-form opposition.

Marek Hamsik has resumed full training, but he is highly unlikely to start, whereas Pepe Reina, Valon Behrami, Giandomenico Mesto, Camilo Zuniga and Paolo Cannavaro are definitely out.

Verdict

With Hellas Verona on top of their game and notching goals for fun, one would be mad to bet against them even with star-studded Napoli on the other side, but an entertaining encounter appears on the cards. Given that both sides are expected to adopt attack-minded approach, we could easily see goals galore at Bentegodi.

Top pick: Both teams to score   1.62 (5/8) @ Ladbrokes

Alternative pick 1: Over 2.5 goals   1.70 (7/10) @ Sportingbet

Alternative pick 2: Over 3.5 goals   3.00 (2/1) @ William Hill