Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuaín. (Photo : Getty Images)
SSC Napoli (22-6-7, 73 points) may have fallen short of their 2015-2016 Serie A title contention, but they still want to finish the season in a bang as they go up against middling team Atalanta BC (10-14-11, 41 points) at the San Paolo Stadium on May 2nd, Monday.
Napoli had the closest chance to unseat Italian top flight champions Juventus FC this season until the season's top goalscorer and their resident striker, Gonzalo Higuaín, got banned for four games following a violent response to a red card during the team's loss to Udinese a few weeks back.
Without Higuaín, Partenopei lost one more game which is all Juve needed to claim their fifth consecutive Scudetto as the defending champs remained undefeated in their last 25 matches in the domestic competitions.
Napoli lost 0-1 to third-running team AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Monday, as per Goal, their third defeat in the last six outings, and that officially gave this season's crown to Juve.
Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan netted the lone goal of the contest in the nick of time, one minute before the full time whistle blew, which is all the more hurtful for head coach Maurizio Sarri's side, who had played in top form almost the whole season except these last few weeks.
Still, it is a successful season for Gli Azzurri considering that they are going to be in the Champions League next season and that they finished fifth last season.
Meanwhile, Atalanta is somewhat comfortable in the middle of the pack as the team is nine points above the relegation zone but 12 points away from the nearest Europa League berth currently held by AC Milan at the sixth spot of the overall standings.
La Dea nipped Chievo, 1-0, at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia during their most recent game last Sunday for the team's fifth unbeaten game in their last six assignments, via Forza Italian Football.
Italian striker Marco Borriello scored the winner for head coach Edy Reja's squad at the 55th as they also survived Alejandro Gomez's red card in the 75th to pull off the victory.
The predicted result is tough 2-1 win for Napoli.
Napoli starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Reina; Soderlund, Albiol, Koulibaly, Ghoulam; Allan, Jorginho, Hamsik; Callejon, Higuaín, Mertens
Atalanta starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Sportiello; Masiello, Toloi, Paletta, Brivio; Cigarini, de Roon; Kurtic, Diamanti, Gomez; Borriello
