Napoli defender Mathias Olivera has urged his team-mates to “change their mindset instantly” forward of their Serie A fixture towards Cremonese on Friday.
Antonio Conte’s aspect have fallen out of the title race and again into the battle for the Champions League locations after failing to win back-to-back video games.
Following a run of 5 consecutive wins, Napoli drew 1-1 with Parma earlier than a 2-0 defeat to Lazio final day trip.
That loss to Lazio ended a 26-game unbeaten run at residence in Serie A (W19 D7) for Napoli. Beneath the steerage of the identical supervisor, the Partenopei haven’t misplaced consecutive league matches at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona since December 2021.
Napoli might transfer 11 factors away from fifth-placed Como with a win towards Cremonese, and Olivera is keen to complete the season on the entrance foot.
“We have to change our mindset instantly,” Olivera informed Radio CRC. “Cremonese is on Friday and we need to keep up within the standings to qualify for the Champions League.
“Earlier than the match towards Parma, we have been assured we’d play effectively and take residence the three factors. Sadly, their first-minute aim modified the sport.
“I feel we performed effectively, however sadly we weren’t in a position to rating the second aim. Towards Lazio, nonetheless, we all know we performed poorly.
“We received’t surrender and we need to struggle till the tip, we’ll attempt to get as excessive as doable and sweat for this shirt.”
Napoli vs CremoneseAl through la vendita libera!Promo U30 disponibile
Acquista ora: https://t.co/JAsKjhktrx pic.twitter.com/MEUTnZhU8U
— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) April 20, 2026
Cremonese have received only one Serie A recreation because the flip of the yr as they sit above the relegation zone solely on aim distinction.
They drew 0-0 with Torino final day trip, although they’re set for a troublesome check in Naples towards the reigning champions.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Napoli – Matteo Politano
Politano has been concerned in 4 targets (two targets, two assists) in his final 4 Serie A appearances on the Maradona, after failing to be concerned in any targets in his earlier 11 residence league video games.
The Italian has scored one aim in two league matches towards Cremonese, in a 4-1 away win in October 2022.
Cremonese – Antonio Sanabria
Sanabria has scored three targets in his final six Serie A matches towards Napoli, with two of these coming on the Maradona.
The 27-year-old has solely scored one aim in 23 video games within the present Serie A marketing campaign and has by no means completed a league season with fewer than two targets in his earlier seven top-flight seasons.
MATCH PREDICTION – NAPOLI WIN
Napoli have received their final three Serie A matches towards Cremonese – conserving a clear sheet in every of the final two – and are unbeaten of their final six conferences towards them within the competitors (W4 D2), conserving 4 clear sheets within the course of.
Napoli have additionally received seven of their eight residence Serie A matches towards Cremonese – the one exception being a goalless draw on 29 October 1995 – scoring a median of two targets per recreation and conceding only one aim in these matches.
Conte’s aspect have received all 4 of their league matches towards newly promoted sides this season, with an mixture rating of 8-2. They final received at the very least 5 such video games in a single top-flight marketing campaign in 2020-21, underneath Gennaro Gattuso.
Cremonese have misplaced all of their final six Serie A matches towards sides beginning the day within the prime three positions, conceding at the very least two targets in every of these video games (14 in complete) and failing to attain within the final three.
Nevertheless, Cremonese have picked up 4 factors (W1 D1 L2) of their 4 Serie A matches underneath Marco Giampaolo, after dropping all 4 of their earlier video games. The Grigiorossi haven’t remained unbeaten in consecutive top-flight matches since final December (wins towards Bologna and Lecce).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Napoli – 68%
Draw – 19%
Cremonese – 13%
