Sassuolo vs Napoli Predictions

• Napoli ended last season with a 12-match unbeaten run to be crowned Serie A champions
• Sassuolo won Serie B last term but have lost five straight head-to-heads 
• Napoli kept six clean sheets in their final seven games of last season 

Clash of the champions in Reggio Emilia

The Serie A’s opening weekend sees reigning champions Napoli head to Reggio Emilia take on last season’s Serie B winners Sassuolo. 

Antonio Conte’s Napoli edged out Inter Milan to seal the Scudetto by a single point and they will be keen to get their title defence off to the perfect start at Sassuolo, who will be eager to mark their top-flight return with a victory. 

That looks a tough task for the hosts, however, with Gli Azzurri only strengthening in the summer, bringing in Kevin De Bruyne to play alongside Serie A MVP Scott McTominay and also adding winger Noa Lang and defender Sam Beukema to a strong squad. 

Napoli can pick up where they left off

Typical of a Conte side, a strong defence was key to Napoli’s success last term. They conceded a league-fewest 27 goals and the signing of Beukema from Bologna could even see them improve on that impressive record. 

Sassuolo may be champions in their own right but their 1-0 Coppa Italia win over second-tier Catanzaro last weekend did nothing to suggest they can lay a glove on Gli Azzurri.

Napoli have kept a clean sheet in six of their last seven matches and they can be expected to shut out Sassuolo while securing a first win of many.