Preview for Napoli v Cagliari
Napoli will clinch a second Scudetto in three seasons if they beat Cagliari in their Serie A finale on Friday.
A pulsating title race will come to end with Antonio Conte’s Napoli or his former club Inter crowned champions.
Conte’s men lead Inter by a point following a dramatic penultimate weekend of games that saw both teams held to a draw.
Welcoming Cagliari to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Napoli will be confident of getting the job done.
Should they fail to do so, Napoli will be relying on a favour from Como, with Cesc Fabregas’ side playing host to the Nerazzurri.
Napoli will still win the title providing they match Inter’s result but, with their destiny firmly in their hands, Conte will obviously be desperate to ensure his team do not fluff their lines and fall at the final hurdle.
Conte will not be on the sideline for the game, having received a ban for a red card he received late in Napoli’s 0-0 draw at Parma last Sunday.
24 hours to go… 🇮🇹🏆
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) May 22, 2025
“We have come through a very demanding season and clearly this could be the last match that closes a season for me in a new place, a new environment, where we obviously feel the responsibility to give Naples, the fans, something beautiful and historic,” Conte said.
“I regret not being there. After a season like this, you want to be there, with your fans, to lead the team,” he added of his ban.
“There is great trust in my staff, as always, in the fans, in the atmosphere that will be there, and even if I will be in the stands, my heart will be there.
“Tomorrow there is Cagliari, a good team, and we have to play our game respecting the opponent 100%. If we respect them, we will have more chances to win.
“We know very well that the work has brought us here today to talk about something special. We have to try to finish the job.”
Team news for Napoli v Cagliari
Stanislav Lobotka is a doubt for Napoli with an ankle injury he suffered in their previous home game, a 2-2 draw with Genoa, which saw him miss the trip to Parma.
Alessandro Buongiorno is likely to miss the decisive finale with an adductor injury that has kept him out for the last three matches.
Leonardo Pavoletti returns from suspension for Cagliari to give them another option up front, but Zito Luvumbo (thigh) and Gianluca Gaetano (knee) are both unavailable.
Predicted line-ups for Napoli v Cagliari
Napoli: Meret, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Olivera, Spinazzola, Politano, Anguissa, Gilmour, McTominay, Raspadori, Lukaku
Cagliari: Caprile, Zappa, Mina, Luperto, Zortea, Deiola, Makoumbou, Adopo, Augello, Viola, Piccoli
How to watch Napoli v Cagliari: TV and online stream
Napoli versus Cagliari kicks off at 7.45pm tomorrow night. It is being shown on TV in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and streamed on the discovery+ app.
Stats for Napoli v Cagliari
- Napoli have lost only once at home against Cagliari since a 2-0 defeat in August 2007 — a 1-0 loss in September 2019.
- The Partenopei have outscored Cagliari 16-5 in their meetings since that 2019 reverse.
- Conte’s side have scored at least two goals in each of their last five home games.
Prediction
Given how dramatic the title race has been to this point, it seems reasonable to expect at least one twist on Friday. That could come in the form of a Cagliari goal to fray the nerves of the home fans, especially after back-to-back draws. Napoli, though, should find a way to get over the line, even if it might not be an entirely comfortable evening.
Prediction: Napoli 2-1 Cagliari
