Napoli – Crotone Prediction & Picks (20.05.2018)

Napoli and Crotone meet at Stadio San Paolo, in a match for the 38 th round of Serie A. In the last direct match for this league’s game, on 12-29-2017, Napoli won by (0-1) ). The history of recent direct confrontations is favorable to the home team, which records 3 wins in the last 3 matches. In this game the home factor may be decisive, since both teams present considerable differences in the results achieved at home and as a visitor.

Napoli:

After 27 wins, 7 draws and 3 losses, the home team is currently in the 2 nd position, with 88 points won. In the last match, they have won in an away match against Sampdoria by (0-2), after in the previous match they have tied (2-2) at home, in a match against Torino. This is a team that usually gets better results in away matches than at home, since in the last 30 matches they register 9 wins, 4 draws and 2 losses in away matches, with 20 goals scored and 7 conceded; against 9 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses at their stadium, with 27 goals scored and 19 conceded. In the last 10 home league matches Napoli has a record of 8 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss, so they have won 25 points out of 30 possible. Their attack has scored regularly, since they have scored goals in 7 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In their away matches there is a tendency for goals, since 12 of the last 18 matches for this competition have ended with Over 2,5 goals. In 37 matches in the competition, they suffered the first goal 12 times, but got the comeback in 9. In the last 18 home matches for this competition there is 1 period highlighted: they suffered 6 of their 17 goals between the minutes (0′- fifteen’).

The Napoli is a club that has already conquered the Italian League twice throughout its history, with the most recent title being that of the distant 1989/90 season. In the current season, the team fought until the last days for the title of the Italian Championship, but ended up being the runner-up, since it is four points behind Juventus, early champion. In the last four games that Napoli played in their stadium, they all scored goals. We believe that in this match the team will maintain that pattern, since it has more than enough quality to score goals against the almost lowered Crotone, but for having already secured the second position, it will not look for a big win, so there should not be many goals in this match.

Crotone:

After 9 wins, 8 draws and 20 losses, the away team is currently in the 18 th position of the league, with 35 points won. In their last match, they tied with Lazio at home (2-2), after in the previous match they lost out in a match against Chievo, by (2-1). This is a team that usually makes good use of the home advantage, stronger with the help of its supporters, since in the last 30 matches they register 3 wins, 1 draw and 11 losses in away matches, with 14 goals scored and 28 conceded; against 5 wins, 5 draws and 5 losses at their stadium, with 21 goals scored and 20 conceded. For the championship, Crotone won 7 points out of 30 possible points, after 2 wins, 1 draw and 7 losses in the last 10 home matches. In their away league matches the most frequent result at half-time was the 1-0 (7 out of 19 matches). The team has conceded goals in 9 of the last 10 matches, so it has not presented great defensive solidity, but their offense has scored consistently, as they have scored goals in 7 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In 37 matches in this competition, he only managed 2 comebacks in the 25 matches in which he suffered the first goal. In the last 18 home matches for this competition there is 1 period that stands out: they have scored 6 of their 16 goals between minutes (61′-75 ‘).

The Crotone is a club that was never champion of the Italian championship. His best campaign in Serie B in 2015/16, when he was the runner-up and climbed to Serie A Tim. But now, in the current season of 2017/18, the team comes very badly and runs serious downside risks. The Crotone has great defensive weaknesses, since in the last five days he has managed to score goals, but he also always suffered goals. Now, in this game against Napoli, Crotone will have to at least tie if he wants to have chances to stay in the elite of Italian football. We believe that the Crotone will enter much more defensively and offensively concentrated than the Napoli, although it is a team of inferior quality, because the moment is critical and is all or nothing.