Napoli vs. Chievo Verona: Preview, Time and How to Watch

Both Napoli and Chievo will be looking to bounce back from disappointments in the first round. Sure, Napoli won, but their last minute goal from new-boy Jonathan de Guzmán doesn’t quite cover up how poor they looked against Genoa. Now they’ll need to pull off a convincing win in front of their fans, who are starting to get restless, groaning about the lack of big moves in the summer and the failure to qualify for the Champions League.

The partenopei should be thrilled to be facing Chievo, who were flattered by the 1-0 scoreline in their loss to Juventus last week. The Flying Donkeys looked totally without ideas as Juve ran circles around them. But Chievo have been something of a bogey side for Napoli in recent years, and could well upset the title-chasers.

Gonzalo Higuaín and Marek Hamšík are the two tasked with driving Napoli forward, and with Hamšík still looking rather out of sorts, it’s up to the striker to assume responsibility. This week just might be different. To say that Chievo defense was shaky against Juventus would be an understatement. Having to deal with the attacking force of the azzurri might just prove too much, giving Higuaín the perfect opportunity to open his account on the season.

The Flying Donkeys are likely smart enough to pay special attention to Higuaín and Hamšík, concentrating on stopping them through the center of the pitch. That leaves space for players like José Callejón, Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens to get in behind and create danger. Chievo’s fullbacks will have a lot of work cut out when attempting to stop the Napoli attack. It’s unlikely they’ll deviate from their usual game plan, sitting back and absorbing pressure while looking to occasionally hit on the counter.

Sunday, September 14 at 3 p.m. CET / 9 a.m. ET

Stadio San Paolo, Naples

TV: RAI International (USA and Canada)

Online: beIN Sports Connect (USA and Canada), Sky Go Italia (Italy), bet365.com (registration required)