Napoli vs Verona prediction, H2H and probable lineups - January 7, 2026
One of the matches of Serie A's 19th round will take place on Wednesday at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, where the local side Napoli will host Verona. Here’s my take on the outcome, considering Antonio Conte’s squad’s current class and form.
Match preview
Antonio Conte’s team is firing on all cylinders: four consecutive 2-0 victories and a confident Supercoppa Italiana triumph speak volumes about their stability and structure. In Serie A, Napoli are keeping close to the leaders, trailing Inter by just two points and firmly in the title race with a solid margin of safety.
Midfield selection issues persist - with Zambo Anguissa, Gilmour, and De Bruyne all unavailable, new solutions have to be found. However, Spinazzola and Politano are locking down the flanks effectively, while the defensive line remains rock solid. Lucca might come off the bench, but the main attacking threat is still being shaped without him.
After a crisis stretch at the start of the season, Verona briefly rallied, but the end of last year and the beginning of the new brought two heavy 0-3 defeats - to Milan and Torino. Paolo Zanetti is searching for tactical flexibility, but the squad’s resources are limited, especially with injuries in defense and midfield.
Rafik Belghali has left for the Africa Cup of Nations, Akpa Akpro remains sidelined, and Tomas Suslov is unavailable due to a serious injury. Mirroring Napoli’s system with two players supporting a lone striker against Torino didn’t pay off for Verona - trying the same approach against Napoli could end in a similar defeat.
Probable lineups
- Napoli: Milinković-Savić, Jesus, Rrahmani, Di Lorenzo, Spinazzola, McTominay, Lobotka, Politano, Elmas, Neres, Højlund
- Verona: Montipò, Nuñez, Bella-Kotchap, Nelsson, Oyegoke, Harroui, Serdar, Frese, Giovane, Berned, Orban
Match facts and head-to-head
- Both teams have scored in seven of their last ten meetings.
- Five of the last seven matches between these sides have gone over 2.5 goals.
- Verona last beat Napoli under Conte’s management - 3-0 at the start of last season.
Prediction
Given Napoli’s form, their confidence, and Verona’s defensive and consistency issues, everything points to another clean sheet victory for the hosts. Conte knows how to prepare his squad for matches of this kind, and even with some absences, the gap in quality is clear.
