Serie A Odds: Roma, Napoli Meet in Must-Win

Roma (+115) vs Napoli (+252), Draw (+277)

It’s been the same old story in the Serie A this year as Juventus works its way to a sixth straight title. If there are two teams capable of ending Juve’s reign of terror, it’s Roma (19-2-5, 59 points) and Napoli (16-6-4, 54 points). The two teams will meet on Saturday, March 4, at Stadio Olimpico in the 27th fixture.

It’ll be a pivotal game for both sides. Juventus are currently seven points clear of second. In order to catch them, Roma and Napoli will need a near-flawless performance for the rest of the season. A loss this weekend will be a major blow to their already slim chances.

Roma are coming off a convincing 3-1 win against sixth-place Inter Milan. Radja Nainggolan picked Inter apart with two stunning goals from outside the box. The Belgian international has already made a name for himself off the pitch. He’s not afraid to admit his love for partying and cigarettes, and his antics have landed him in the spotlight more than once. Until recently, his performance on the field has been inconsistent. He’s been spectacular in the last few months, though. And, along with Edin Dzeko and Mohamed Salah, he makes up one of the deadliest attacks in football.

Meanwhile, Napoli are recovering from a tough 2-0 defeat to Atalanta. The loss put them 12 points behind Juventus, pretty much ruling them out of contention for the title. A loss this weekend would be the nail in the coffin. The game against Roma is just one part of a tough week for the team, which will face Juventus in the Coppa Italia semifinal on Tuesday.

Napoli are a quality team with a solid system, but their lineup doesn’t quite stack up to Juventus or Roma. They lack the star players that league-winning teams usually have.

They might find themselves stretched a little too thin this week. Two games against the two top teams in Serie A in the span of five days is a tough task for any team, and I don’t know if Napoli are up for it. This is a must-win game for Roma if they are going to catch Juventus, and I expect I Giallorossi will rise to the occasion.

Pick: Roma (+115)