Napoli's De Bruyne Adjusts Seamlessly to Club Life
Napoli, the reigning Scudetto champions, are ready to begin their title defense on the road against Sassuolo this Saturday. The Partenopei, under the guidance of coach Antonio Conte, are aiming to make history by becoming the first team to win two consecutive league titles.
Lorenzo Lucca, an Italian striker on loan from Udinese, is set to make his Serie A debut for Napoli in this highly anticipated match. Lucca, who has scored 20 goals in the 2023-24 campaign, could lead the line for Napoli following Romelu Lukaku's injury. Last season, Lucca scored 12 times in the Italian top-flight, and his impressive form has not gone unnoticed by Conte.
Conte has praised Lucca for his quick adaptation to life at Napoli and believes he can help the team. The coach's faith in Lucca is well-founded, as he is the youngest player to reach 20 Serie A goals in the past two seasons. Moreover, he is also the only player, apart from Duvan Zapata, to have scored more headed goals than Lucca in the same period.
Napoli's opponents, Sassuolo, are no pushovers. They recorded 25 wins on their way to the second division title last term, scoring the most goals (78) despite a fifth-highest expected goals (xG) of 54.8. Sassuolo's top scorer, Armand Lauriente, scored 18 goals last season, including five in the final seven games of their Serie B campaign.
Despite the challenge posed by Sassuolo, Conte remains optimistic about Napoli's chances. According to Opta, Napoli have a 58.7% probability of winning the match. The coach's confidence is not misplaced, considering Napoli's unbeaten record in the last seven Serie A matches against Sassuolo.
Conte is also aware that the fight for the Scudetto will be tough. He stated that he doesn't care who the opponent is, the important thing is that others see Napoli as an opponent in the fight for the Scudetto.
Meanwhile, Napoli's midfield will see a new addition in the form of Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian international, who spent 10 years with Manchester City, recorded 170 assists during his time at the club, making him the player with the most assists in all competitions among players in Europe's top five leagues. De Bruyne's Serie A debut for Napoli is scheduled for the 2025-26 Serie A campaign's first game against Sassuolo.
As Napoli prepare to defend their title, they will do so with a strong squad and high morale. With Lucca leading the attack and De Bruyne providing the creative spark, Napoli fans can look forward to an exciting season ahead.
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