Coppa Italia, Thursday, 09/26/2024 at 9:00 p.m.
My Naples Palermo betting tip is primarily about all the promising betting scenarios that are worth typing into the Betano app for this Coppa Italia second round match.
Just a few weeks ago, I would have given Palermo a small chance in this derby, by the way. But the system that Antonio Conte has come up with for the SSC is now working much better than it did in August.
When the SSC fans think back to the first round of the Coppa Italia, which was only a few weeks ago, a cold shiver will surely still run down their spines.
Their beloved “Azzurri” came within a whisker of being knocked out in the first round – something that has not happened to the club in this competition since the turn of the millennium.
The elimination was almost made easier by the same newly introduced rule change, which now also applies in the second round: after a draw at the end of the second half, both teams go straight to a penalty shoot-out.
In the penalty shootout after a goalless draw over 90 minutes against Modena, the Neapolitans managed to get out of a tight spot about a month ago.
But it is also clear that Napoli has recovered from this near-disgrace.
The “Conte system” is improving, the annoying Osimhen issue has been resolved for the time being, and the desired transfer of Romelu Lukaku has also been granted.
The SSC, which will be playing in the arena on Thursday, is thus much better prepared than it was before the first competitive game of the season.
The game ended 0-0, but before the arrival of Romelu Lukaku, I would not have seriously considered the possibility of a draw – and thus the installation of a DC-1X option. Because until the 5th Serie A match day, the “Old Lady” simply looked better.
But the Neapolitans’ defense held firm on Saturday. With an xG value for both teams that did not exceed the 0.5 mark, a winning goal would not have been performance-related anyway – no matter who scored it!
What can we expect from the opponent? Palermo is certainly one of the most prominent clubs on the island of Sicily, which was still in the country’s top division seven years ago.
Since then, however, the club has been languishing in Serie B, without really being able to play its way into the media spotlight. For example, in the last two years, it was knocked out in the very first round of the Coppa Italia.
But this season, they managed a cup upset right off the bat, beating promoted Parma 1-0 away from home.
Since both clubs’ first-round appearance in the Coppa Italia, however, a lot has happened, as already mentioned.
Palermo, for example, have not necessarily been able to confirm the good impression from the Parma game in the league, as the Sicilians have only managed to get 8 out of a possible 18 points in Serie B since the start of the season.
Napoli, on the other hand, celebrated three consecutive Serie A victories before the 0-0 draw against Juve, and in Romelu Lukaku they have acquired exactly the striker they so urgently needed for their system.
By the way: the last competitive game between the two was in 2017, the year Palermo were relegated.
Naples have not lost any of their last four meetings with the Sicilians and have not been beaten at home in any of them.
In numbers, that means that Palermo have visited the Stadio Diego Maradona 13 times since the turn of the millennium without ever getting the upper hand (5 draws, 8 defeats).
The “Derby del Sole” between Napoli and Palermo is a passionate duel that not only embodies sporting rivalry but is also deeply rooted in the culture and identity of southern Italy.
The name itself, “Derby del Sole” (Derby of the Sun), is symbolic of the sunny, vibrant atmosphere of the region.
Conclusion: The Neapolitans will be eternally grateful to their upcoming opponents for buying a certain Edinson Cavani from them at a bargain price.
The same Cavani who, many years later, went on to play as a striker for PSG.
However, such sentimentality will be put aside on Thursday and, if all goes to plan, SSC should record an easy 2-0 victory in which Romelu Lukaku will have a hand in the game.
My Napoli v Palermo betting tip is therefore: Napoli to win without conceding a goal.
