Preview: Napoli vs Como - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams bound for the Champions League will clash at Stadio Maradona, as Napoli host Como on Sunday evening.

The standout fixture of Serie A's second matchday brings together last term's runners-up and Italy's fastest-rising club.

Match preview

While Napoli could not defend the Scudetto last season, they did finish second in Serie A and lifted the Supercoppa Italiana.

A dismal Champions League campaign was the low point of Antonio Conte's final year in charge, but new boss Max Allegri will soon lead the Partenopei into this season's league phase.

Hosting Arsenal and visiting Manchester City will be among the highlights for Allegri's men, who started their domestic duties with a 2-0 victory over Genoa last week.

Deep into the second half, ex-City star Kevin De Bruyne scored a controversial opener and set up Antonio Vergara's vital strike, after emerging from the bench at Stadio Ferraris.

Particularly in Europe, Napoli's away form was below par for much of the 2025-26 campaign, so they were relieved to pick up maximum points.

Always stronger on home turf, the Campanian club have won their opening league game at the Maradona for 10 consecutive seasons, so stretching that streak must be the target on Sunday.

While Como have won just two of 26 previous top-flight meetings, most of those games date back several decades - more notably, both contests last term ended 0-0.

Languishing in Italy's third tier just six years ago, the Lariani have since closed the gap to Napoli by both dreaming and spending big, and they are also preparing for Champions League football.

Surely the highlight of their schedule is an imminent return to Barcelona for head coach Cesc Fabregas, who guided his team to a fourth-placed finish in Serie A last season.

Not only that, but Como also kept a league-high 19 clean sheets and reached their first Coppa Italia semi-final, raising expectations for the current campaign.

However, Cesc's men were held to a 1-1 draw on the opening matchday, with last term's top scorer Tasos Douvikas netting their equaliser in Udine.

While rebuilding work continues at Stadio Sinigaglia, they must now travel to Naples for another away fixture, having lost just one of their last 12 league games on the road.

Napoli Serie A form:

Como Serie A form:

Team News

Napoli will still be missing centre-backs Alessandro Buongiorno and Luca Marianucci, but they otherwise seem to have a clean bill of health.

Pasquale Mazzocchi is expected to return from a knee problem, while new signing Benoit Badiashile could be named on the bench.

It remains to be seen whether De Bruyne can displace Frank Anguissa in midfield; Rasmus Hojlund and last term's top scorer Scott McTominay will spearhead Allegri's attack.

Meanwhile, Como's main marksman Douvikas could soon be joined by Moise Kean, with the Italy star poised to become the Lariani's latest recruit.

For now, the Greek striker should continue to lead the line with support from Nico Paz - the latter has racked up 18 goals and 14 assists since moving to Serie A two years ago.

Summer signings Trevoh Chalobah, Luis Milla and Yan Couto all started against Udinese; new boy Willy Kambwala could feature after arriving from Villarreal; only long-term absentee Jayden Addai is unavailable.

Napoli possible starting lineup:

Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Marin, Spinazzola; Anguissa, Lobotka, McTominay; Politano, Hojlund, Alisson

Como possible starting lineup:

Butez; Couto, Chalobah, Ramon, Valle; Perrone, Da Cunha; Diao, Paz, Baturina; Douvikas