Napoli's Serie A title battle anticipated to involve eight intense teams according to Conte's prediction
Scott McTominay, a player to watch for Napoli in the upcoming matches, has started the Serie A season in fine form. The Scottish midfielder scored the opening goal in Napoli's first match of the season against Sassuolo, and his tally of ten goals this calendar year makes him the only player in the top flight to reach double figures.
Napoli will face Cagliari this Saturday, an opponent they beat on the final day of the previous season to win the Serie A title. The history between these two teams has been one-sided, with Napoli winning seven of their last eight meetings in the first half of the season, by an aggregate score of 21-3. Cagliari have lost their last two league matches against Napoli without scoring.
Antonio Conte, Napoli's manager, is excited about Napoli's participation in the Champions League but is currently focused on the match against Cagliari. Conte expects focus and intensity from his team, citing their authoritative win of the Scudetto in the previous season.
Cagliari have previously suffered four defeats in a row against Napoli on the road on two occasions, which came between 1966-1969 and 2011-2014. However, Yerry Mina, Cagliari's centre-back, made an impressive showing in their last match, with the highest totals for touches, accurate passes, and aerial duels won.
Napoli's current unbeaten run stands at 13 matches (W8 D5), the longest streak across the top five leagues in Europe. No team faced fewer shots than Cagliari on their first matchday, and while they attempted six shots on target, only fewer than Inter (nine) and Juventus (eight) have managed more so far in Serie A.
Napoli will return to the Champions League this season, with their 10 games set to feature Manchester City, Chelsea, and Benfica. Conte sees his team learning from the "masters" of the Champions League ahead of their return to Europe's top table this season.
Conte believes the 2025-26 Serie A will be a tough league with a great balance and seven or eight well-equipped clubs. He has assessed Napoli, Inter Milan, Juventus, AC Milan, and AS Roma as strong enough to win the Serie A in the 2025-26 season, with Napoli seen as the favorite, followed by Inter Milan and Juventus as serious contenders.
Antonio Conte believes up to eight teams can win Serie A in the 2025-26 season, highlighting the competitive nature of the Italian league. With McTominay leading the charge, Napoli will be hoping to continue their impressive form when they face Cagliari this Saturday.
