Wing wizards a real threat for Napoli’s trip to Fiorentina
Published:Wingers scored seven of the eight goals in the three meetings between Fiorentina and Napoli last season, so that fact helps to explain why Coral make these two Serie A sides 13/8 joint-favourites for victory in Florence. A draw comes in at 9/4.
Rafa Benitez has a couple of attackers in red hot form, which is worrying for Viola counterpart Vincenzo Montella, who remains without Giuseppe Rossi and just has Mario Gomez back from a hamstring problem. Gonzalo Higuain has netted five Serie A goals, all in his last three league outings, and the Argentina international is therefore a 6/5 anytime scorer chance.
Even Spain national Vicente del Bosque could not ignore the devastating displays from Napoli winger Jose Callejon, finally offering him a call-up. He leads Serie A’s goal charts with eight, so why not back him to celebrate international recognition with him netting again at a tasty 7/4?
Belgium international Dries Mertens (9/4) may occupy the other flank, having scored twice against Fiorentina last term. So too did Lorenzo Insgine (11/4), however, yet there isn’t room for all three in Benitez’s system.
Visitors Napoli will also be buoyed by former Swansea City loan star Jonathan de Guzman’s Europa League hat-trick in midweek. This was vintage box-to-box stuff from the Netherlands international, but a repeat performance in Florence looks remote at 66/1. JDG is a safer 7/2 in the anytime market.
Although Fiorentina have had to rely on goals from defence and midfield in recent matches, on Lazio have won on their patch this season so far. Benitez’s boys will have to be at their very best here and must contain Colombia winger Juan Cuadrado, who caught the eye at the World Cup in Brazil.
Cuadrado, a reported target of Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, is a 2/1 shot to score anytime. Fellow wide player Joaquin Sanchez netted the winner in Naples in last term’s reverse fixture, and is available at 4/1 in the same market.
Fiorentina’s fine defensive record (the fourth-best in Serie A) suggests a low-scoring affair and raises the possibility of a win to nil. Montella’s men are 7/2 for that latter occurrence, but Napoli look much more attractive at 21/5.
