On Saturday, November 22, the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium will host the opening match of Serie A Matchday 12 between Napoli and Atalanta, a clash featuring two teams looking to bounce back after a rather uninspiring period. The Azzurri arrive with just one point from their last two games, a slowdown that has made them lose ground in the title race — though nothing is compromised yet. Antonio Conte’s side currently sit fourth, only two points behind leaders Inter and Roma. Atalanta, meanwhile, haven’t won a league match in seven rounds and travel to the Maradona with an urgent need to turn things around. The arrival of Raffaele Palladino — who last season led Fiorentina to a surprising sixth-place finish — is a bet aimed at injecting new energy into a team that has so far underperformed expectations. La Dea are already six points off the Champions League zone, a target they’ve consistently reached in recent seasons and a stated objective again this year. This is a match of vital importance for both clubs: the hosts need to put recent lackluster performances behind them and stay in the race for the top, while the visitors must send a strong signal to the league and get back into the European conversation.

Napoli's recent form and key stats

Napoli are going through a tough spell: no wins in their last three matches, only two draws and one defeat. Their most recent loss came on November 9, a 2-0 defeat away to Bologna, which cost them the top spot in favor of Roma and Inter.

The reigning Italian champions now occupy fourth place with 22 points, the result of 7 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses, averaging 1.45 goals scored and 0.91 conceded per game. The biggest concern is the attack, which has failed to score in its last three outings against Como, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bologna. Some encouraging signs, however, come from the defensive phase: only two goals conceded in their last four matches across all competitions.

Home form remains one of Napoli’s biggest strengths. The Azzurri haven’t lost at the Maradona in 16 consecutive Serie A matches and are unbeaten in 18 home games overall. In this season’s home fixtures, they’ve collected 13 points from five matches — four wins and one draw.

Ahead of the match against Atalanta, Conte will have to deal with several key absences: Lukaku, Meret, De Bruyne, Spinazzola, Gilmour and Anguissa will all be unavailable. The good news is the return of Hojlund and Lobotka to the starting XI — two essential players in Conte’s system.

Atalanta's recent form and key stats

It’s a difficult moment for Atalanta as well, coming off two consecutive league defeats, with only a 0-1 Champions League win against Olympique Marseille in between. Before the break, the heavy 0-3 home loss to Sassuolo prompted the club to sack Ivan Juric, who had arrived in the summer to replace Gasperini.

La Dea head into this fixture in 13th place with 13 points — 2 wins, 7 draws and 2 losses — averaging 1.18 goals scored and 1 conceded per game. One of the main tasks for new coach Raffaele Palladino will be to revive the offensive unit, which has scored just once in the last three matches. With a bit more ruthlessness in front of goal, Atalanta would likely be higher in the table.

Away form, however, remains a positive factor: Atalanta have lost only one of their last eight Serie A away matches. In their five away fixtures this season, they have collected 6 points — one win, three draws and one defeat. Their last away victory, though, dates back two months.

For his debut on the Nerazzurri bench, Palladino can count on the full squad at his disposal. In attack, he is expected to field a front three of Lookman, De Ketelaere and Krstovic, while high-quality alternatives such as Scamacca, Sulemana and Maldini are ready to come off the bench during the match.

Napoli vs Atalanta prediction by BetMines

The prediction leans towards the hosts, who benefit from home advantage and are determined to claim three crucial points to stay in the title race. According to the BetMines algorithm, Napoli have a 44% chance of winning, compared to Atalanta’s 30%.

Considering both teams come from disappointing results, this could be a very open match: both Napoli and Atalanta know that a win could be a turning point in their season. This suggests an intense and entertaining match, also because both coaches have high-quality attacking players at their disposal, even if not currently in top form.

From a tactical standpoint, Napoli are expected to take control of the game, driven by the need to return to winning ways. However, this approach could expose the Partenopei to Atalanta’s counterattacks — especially on the left flank, where Lookman could cause problems for Di Lorenzo, who has been struggling in recent games.

Besides the home win, the other tips most recommended by BetMines is Over 2.5, evaluated at 52% probability — consistent with the history between the teams: in nine of their last ten meetings, at least three goals have been scored.

Probable lineups Napoli vs Atalanta

NAPOLI (4-3-3): Milinkovic; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Gutierrez; Elmas, Lobotka, McTominay; Politano, Hojlund, Neres. Coach: Conte

ATALANTA (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Kossounou, Hien, Djimsiti; Bellanova, Ederson, Pasalic, Zappacosta; De Ketelaere, Lookman; Krstovic. Coach: Palladino