Napoli-Udinese, probable formations and where to watch it. In defense it's still up to Juan Jesus

Naples, February 8, 2025 - The news arrived from Franchi, the theater of the recovery on Thursday evening between Fiorentina e Inter after the original match was suspended due to illness Edward Bove, were excellent: 3-0 for the purple and Napoli, then, effective leader of the ranking +3 about the Nerazzurri and without any more shadows and asterisks. From here to thinking that the championship games are over there is a long way to go and even the Neapolitans know it, who not by chance on Sunday evening at 20.45 al Maradona against theUdinese want to avoid making a false step that could ruin the power play they acquired during the week against their most accredited rivals. On the other side, there is a team that is sailing in the middle of the standings, still cradling some residual hope of lifting itself towards more noble and ambitious positions: a light-heartedness that, despite the expected chaos of Fuorigrotta, could turn out to be a trap not to be underestimated.  

Probable lineups

  Naples (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan Jesus, Spinazzola; Anguissa, Lobotka, McTominay; Politano, Lukaku, Neres. Coach: Conte. Udinese (3-5-2): Sava; Kristensen, Bijol, Solet; Ehizibue, Lovric, Karlstrom, Payero, Kamara; Thauvin, Lucca. Coach: Runjaic.  

Time and where to watch Napoli-Udinese on TV and streaming

  Naples-Udinese (kick-off at 20.45) will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN, whose app is also visible on devices Amazon Firestick e Google Chromecast, on consoles PlayStation e XBox and TIMVISION Box. Who is subscribed to both DAZN that Sky, activating 'DAZN area', will be able to watch the match on DAZN 1 (channel number 214 di Sky).  

In pursuit of growth

  The press conference on the eve of Antonio Conte It opens with an old joke, which in turn can be traced back to recent events, between the field (the hat-trick scored by Fiorentina all 'Inter) and the market. "I find it unpleasant to bring up a joke of the moment that risks making me look like someone who is just asking. I prefer to think about what I've been doing since I arrived here, that is, growing the team, as I have done everywhere I have been. The same goes here: when I leave, I will want to leave a Napoli better than what I found when I arrived". The discussion expands from the 'simple' player pool. "The club knows it must evolve. Football is changing and today it needs infrastructure, a sports center and a youth sector and other things that are not there today. I think all this is more important than buying a player for monstrous sums. I have to support our sports director, who is good but young and has to go through a growth process. I do the same for the president: the others are all nonsense (he uses a more direct word, ed.) that do not interest me. I am interested in the happiness of these guys who are giving everything to try to achieve excellence in the present, without getting lost in what was in the past. There is a risk of ruining what we have been building for months with great effort. I conclude by reiterating that I am here to help the club grow, going beyond the market numbers that can only throw smoke in the eyes". Tale says a bit of everything and its opposite to try to free himself from some controversy that in the Neapolitan square is not lacking even in the week that saw the team consolidate its leadership thanks to the flop onInter: the key on which the Italian coach instead hammers in a clear and unequivocal way concerns the growth of the team and also of the club, with the hope that too much chatter does not disturb the environment more than the rivals are doing today. We then move on to the infirmary situation, between injured players and new arrivals.

Singles and the 'new' chart

"Good morning he's getting better, but tomorrow he'll start again Juan Jesus, who is doing very well at the moment. Billing he is a serious guy and he is getting into our working methodology: this week I saw him at work in the friendly against Giugliano and I confirmed his excellent physical condition. Okay instead he has just arrived and is not doing very well: tomorrow he will be on the bench, but he has limited playing time". Not exactly the best calling card to challenge a physical team likeUdinese. "We fear nothing, but as always we will have respect. They have a great structure and are quick on the restarts. We will need to pay particular attention to set pieces. However, we will only have to think about ourselves and this beautiful story that we are writing. Every place I have been to is different and here you will certainly have a strong experience. As I said however - continues Tale - we must have a correct vision of the future to be able to understand what to improve without being satisfied". In the meantime, woe betide anyone who thinks about the real margin acquired in the standings after the debacle of theInter al Franchi. "We have to think only about ourselves and only focus on our growth. No one gets carried away and we continue to travel at a low level despite what happened this week. For now, we'll enjoy the journey and then we'll see where it takes us." Tale delves into the discussion of the standings. "We are the team that has been at the top for the longest time. I'm not saying that we get used to it, but by now we have some experience of being in that position. The same goes for theInter, a very strong and complete team to fight in Serie A and Champions League. It would be an insult to underestimate them and for this reason we must wear blinkers and think only of ourselves". He closes by talking about the margins of growth. "In life you always have to be willing to learn. I too have combined the basic methodology with recent in-depth studies and if I hadn't done so, especially last year, things would have been more difficult today. This applies to me and it applies to the players: the team is growing and still has a lot of room for improvement".

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