Napoli return to the Maradona on Sunday night with little room for hesitation, facing a Frosinone side that has turned the opening five rounds into one of Serie A’s most engaging early stories. The home side need a result to prevent the distance from growing further in a title race they still believe can be pulled back, while Frosinone arrive without the burden attached to their hosts.
Massimiliano Allegri has made clear what he expects after the draw at Fiorentina on 20 September: greater humility, responsibility and awareness from his players. The immediate demand is a win, but Napoli’s response will be measured over a demanding week that also includes Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday and Venezia away next Saturday.
Close to 50,000 supporters are expected at a Maradona stadium ready for football again after the international break. It will also be an evening of returns, beginning with David Neres.
Neres set for first start in 279 days
Neres is due to start for the first time since 4 January, when Napoli beat Lazio at the Olimpico. More than nine months have passed since that appearance, and his inclusion offers Napoli another source of invention in the final third.
The Brazilian is expected to operate alongside Noa Lang behind Rasmus Hojlund. Neres and Lang have a close relationship off the pitch, but Napoli need that understanding to translate into support for their centre-forward, sharper movement around the box and, above all, goals.
His substitute appearance in Florence offered encouragement. During roughly half an hour in the second half, Neres tested David de Gea and also created a chance for Favasuli, who was denied by another strong save from the Spanish goalkeeper. Napoli’s need now is to turn that promise into a more productive attacking display.
Matteo Politano is expected to begin among the substitutes. He is not fully fit, and Napoli must also consider the European fixture against Villarreal only days away.
McTominay back in the squad
Scott McTominay will be on the bench after being absent since 30 August. The midfielder underwent surgery on 8 September to correct a cardiac arrhythmia and is now available again, giving Allegri an experienced option to introduce during the match.
There could also be a first start for Badiashile. He may line up with Amir Rrahmani and Rafa Marin, while Giovanni Di Lorenzo and the recovered Leonardo Spinazzola are expected to provide the wider defensive cover when Napoli are without the ball.
In midfield, Kevin De Bruyne could work alongside Stanislav Lobotka during Napoli’s build-up play, with Billy Gilmour likely to be rested from the start.
Frosinone’s pressure test
Frosinone have earned their bright opening reputation under Alvini through an aggressive approach, led by sustained pressure high up the pitch. Their early-season momentum has been built without the expectations Napoli carry, but Sunday presents another test of whether that form can endure as the season moves beyond its opening weeks.
For Napoli, overcoming that pressure will require quick decisions as much as technical quality. Allegri’s side must move the ball with speed and clarity, find room for Neres and Lang between the lines, and give Hojlund the service that has too often been missing.
The fixture is the first of three examinations in seven days. Napoli can use it as the beginning of a renewed run; Frosinone have the chance to show that their place among the league’s early surprises is not simply a late-summer episode.
