Napoli v Atalanta odds and best bets: Props and predictions for March 11
THE NARRATIVE
After a first home loss of the season last weekend, will runaway Serie A leaders Napoli get straight back to winning ways against Atalanta? Or are Luca Spelliti’s men headed for a late season wobble in the Italian topflight?
INITIAL THOUGHTS
It would surely take a breakdown of catastrophic proportions for Napoli NOT to be crowned Serie A champions come the end of the season. The southern side are a whopping 15 points clear at top of the table and have occupied the top spot for the last 24 weeks.
Atalanta currently sit 6th in the league - occupying the last European berth - and with a seven point lead over their closest rivals Juventus. But Gian Piero Gasperini’s team have been shaky of late, with only one win in their last seven matches in all competitions.
Napoli came away 2-1 winners when the two sides met in November last year, and the Azzurri are strong favorites to get their Scudetto-chasing season back on track at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Saturday.
NUTS AND BOLTS
Napoli’s 1-0 loss to 3rd placed Lazio last weekend was the first time Spalleti’s side had conceded a goal in over 450 minutes of football.
Prior to that defeat, the Azzurri had kept four consecutive clean sheets and conceded only twice in a run of 8 straight wins stretching all the way back to a 2-0 victory over Sampdoria in early January.
While the loss won’t affect Napoli’s title winning hopes, it will hamper their chances of equaling Juve’s' Serie A points record of 102 for the season, secured under Antonio Conte’s stewardship back in 2012/13.
Victor Osimhen has 19 goals in 21 Serie A appearances this campaign, and last week’s defeat was the first time in eight consecutive matches that the Nigerian striker was unable to find the net.
HOMESTAND PICKS
All odds courtesy NorthStar Bets
We’re backing the Azzurri to bounce back with a 22nd win of the campaign.
Both teams not to score (+105)
After last week’s defeat, Napoli’s defence will be on high alert, so another clean sheet for the league leaders looks likely on Saturday.
Victor Osimhen anytime goal (+123)
With 19 goals for the season and already Serie A’s top goal scorer, odds of +123 look like great value for another Osimhen strike on the weekend.
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