Napoli vs Lazio is the standout fixture of the Serie A weekend, and it could hardly be better timed for Fisayo Dele-Bashiru. The Super Eagles midfielder travels with the league leaders to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday (12:30 WAT), where a Lazio win would stretch their advantage at the top to six points — and deepen the crisis engulfing Massimiliano Allegri’s Napoli.
It is a meeting of two clubs trending in very different directions. Lazio sit alone at the summit with 28 points from their first 10 league games, three clear of the chasing pack, while Napoli are down in eighth, a full 14 points behind the leaders and surely out of the title race already. For Dele-Bashiru, who is expected to start on the bench, it is another chance to make an impact as a substitute — the role from which he produced the defining moment of Lazio’s season so far.
Napoli vs Lazio: leaders against a club in crisis
Napoli’s slide has been swift and public. Last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Juventus was followed by a 4-1 hammering by Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday, a result that sparked crisis talks between the coaching staff and club president Aurelio De Laurentiis. Allegri, who took charge over the summer, is already facing calls for his dismissal, with Napoli having lost half of their competitive matches this season.
Lazio, by contrast, arrive full of belief. Gennaro Gattuso’s side have made a habit of winning ugly and winning late, and their 2-1 victory over Cagliari last Sunday kept them clear at the top. Gattuso was quick to take the pressure off his players at his pre-match press conference on Saturday, insisting the expectation sits with the hosts. “The pressure isn’t on Lazio,” he said, adding that he hopes to achieve a quarter of what Allegri has done in his career.
The form book is blunt: Napoli have lost their last two games in all competitions, while Lazio have won five of their last six in the league. A home win would steady Allegri’s ship; an away win would leave Lazio six points clear heading into the international break.
Napoli vs Lazio team news: De Bruyne carries the hosts, Zaccagni out for Lazio
Napoli’s problems start with the treatment room. Alessandro Buongiorno, David Neres, Costantino Favasuli, Alisson Santos, Leonardo Spinazzola, Benoit Badiashile and Stanislav Lobotka are all unavailable, while full-backs Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Mathias Olivera are racing against time to be fit. Luca Marianucci is also suspended after his red card against Juventus.
That leaves Allegri leaning heavily on Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian has scored three goals in his last five league games and, despite his advancing years and chequered fitness history, may be asked to go again alongside Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund in attack.
Lazio’s absentees are fewer but significant. Captain Mattia Zaccagni is out with a thigh strain and could be sidelined until next month, while Albert Gudmundsson remains out after dislocating his shoulder on Iceland duty. The good news for Gattuso is that Adam Marusic and Nicolò Rovella are back in full training, and Nuno Tavares could return after training with the group on Saturday.
Dele-Bashiru’s role and the probable line-ups
Dele-Bashiru is named among the substitutes in the predicted line-ups, with Gattuso expected to keep faith with the settled side that beat Cagliari. It is a familiar position for the Nigerian, and one he has already turned into a weapon this season — coming off the bench in the 69th minute at Juventus on 18 October and sealing a 3-0 win with a stunning solo run and finish in the 89th minute.
His stock is rising in Rome. Lazio have opened talks over a new deal for the Super Eagles midfielder, keen to reward him with improved terms and tie him down beyond his current contract, which runs to 2028. He has also been recalled to Eric Chelle’s 24-man Super Eagles squad for the AFCON qualifiers against Tanzania, with Nigeria hosting the first leg in Uyo on Friday, 13 November.
The probable line-ups, according to Sports Mole, are:
Napoli: Meret; Beukema, Rrahmani, Marin; Politano, Anguissa, De Bruyne, McTominay, Vergara; Giovane, Hojlund.
Lazio: Mandas; Floriani Mussolini, Sutalo, Provstgaard, Tavares; Frattesi, Belahyane, Taylor; Isaksen, Pinamonti, Noslin.
Napoli vs Lazio prediction: leaders to make their point
The Napoli vs Lazio predictions are with the visitors. Sports Mole tips a 2-1 win for Lazio, DAZN goes for a 1-0 away win, and SportyTrader also backs Lazio to take all three points. The logic is hard to argue with: the league’s form team against a side missing seven players and low on confidence.
But the Maradona has a way of complicating the script, and Napoli’s desperation makes them dangerous. If De Bruyne finds his range early and the home crowd gets behind them, Lazio will have to earn it. Expect a tight first half before Lazio’s depth — including Dele-Bashiru off the bench — tells in the second.
Whatever happens, the result will shape the title race heading into the break. A Lazio win opens a six-point gap; a Napoli win drags the leaders back into the pack and buys Allegri time. For Dele-Bashiru, it is another afternoon to show why Lazio want him tied down — and why Chelle will be watching from Uyo.
For more on the weekend’s big games, check today’s predictions. For the full Nigerian picture this weekend, read how five Super Eagles stars are taking on Europe’s big guns.
Photos: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona — Gaetano Capaldo, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA); collage by SportsBuddy.
