Napoli must beat the man who put them on the brink of greatness but ultimately failed

Napoli are hurling towards their first title in three decades. Fate wanted to pit them against Maurizio Sarri, the man who came close to taking them into the promised land between 2015 and 2018, taking them to two second-place finishes and one third place in their three Serie A seasons.

This year, Luciano Spalletti is doing what Sarri was unable to. And if Napoli beat Lazio, Sarri's new team, they will head into the weekend with an incredible 21-point lead at the top.

Although Sarri's teams and Napoli are associated with free-flowing football and attacking, this will actually be a meeting of the two best defences in Serie A. Napoli conceded just 15 goals in the 24 games they played so far, with fourth-placed Lazio conceding just four more. Of course, Spalletti's men also boast the best attack - they aren't on top of the pile by accident.

Spalletti's side has been equally impressive in the Champions League. They already have one foot in the quarter-finals, giving them every right to be in the conversation for this season's European champions.

Lazio have started to recover after a mid-season period of inconsistency and won their last two league outings against Salernitana and Sampdoria, putting them fourth in the table. An upset over the league leaders would do wonders for the team's Champions League aspirations.

In their first meeting this season, Lazio fell in a difficult 2-1 loss to Napoli, when Mattia Zaccagni's early opener was overturned by defender Kim Min-Jae and the amazing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

The league leaders are expected to count on all their usual stars as they look to take one step closer to the Scudetto, deploying Victor Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia, Stanislav Lobotka and Kim. Eljif Elmas could start over Piotr Zielinski in the midfield.

Alessio Romagnoli will return for Lazio in the defence, partnering Patric. Manuel Lazzari will be left on the bench in favour of Adam Marusic, leaving Elseid Hysaj on the left of the backline. The usual midfield three will start behind a forward line of Zaccagni, Ciro Immobile and Felipe Anderson.

SERIE A

Round 25

Friday

21:45: (1.65) Napoli (3.70) Lazio (5.70)

Saturday

17:00: (2.15) Monza (3.25) Empoli (3.60)

20:00: (1.70) Atalanta (3.60) Udinese (5.40)

22:45: (2.85) Fiorentina (3.15) Milan (2.60)

Sunday

14:30: (2.90) Spezia (2.90) Verona (2.75)

17:00: (2.25) Sampdoria (3.25) Salernitana (3.35)

20:00: (1.37) Inter (4.70) Lecce (9.00)

22:45: (2.70) Roma (2.95) Juventus (2.90)

Monday

20:30: (1.80) Sassuolo (3.50) Cremonese (4.70)

22:45: (2.40) Torino (3.10) Bologna (3.20)

***odds are subject to change***