Scott McTominay’s influence at Napoli is drawing strong praise in Italy, with Demetrio Albertini describing the midfielder’s quality as unexpectedly high after a standout Serie A season and continued impact in 2025-26, even as Napoli trail leaders Inter by six points ahead of their home meeting with struggling Sassuolo.
Last season, McTominay moved from Manchester United to Napoli and helped secure the Scudetto, earning the Serie A MVP award. The Scotland international scored 12 league goals and added four assists in 2024-25, with only Romelu Lukaku, on 14 goals, finding the net more often for Antonio Conte’s side during that campaign.
Albertini, formerly of AC Milan and Italy, praised the versatility and consistency McTominay has shown in Italy across
multiple roles and competitions over the last 18 months, underlining how peers also rated the midfielder highly when voting for major awards, and suggesting McTominay belongs among Europe’s elite performers in the position.
Albertini told Gazzetta: "He surprised me with his extremely high level of quality, with the all-round ability he has managed to impose in a year and a half. We've seen him do everything: play as a box-to-box midfielder, as a winger, as a forward and then even as a holding midfielder and a playmaker. How many players like him are around? That he has been the strongest midfielder in Italy isn't just my opinion; his fellow players said it too, when he was voted MVP at the Gran Gala del Calcio. Those votes come from players like him, and they count for more. He scored a lot, and his goals are usually decisive. That's another big difference compared to the norm. I don't know if he's also the best in Europe but he's certainly among the very best and to me that almost feels like a detail. "
This season, McTominay has already contributed five goals and three assists in Serie A, yet Napoli’s recent league form has dipped. Conte’s team have recorded three straight draws, matching the number of draws from their previous 24 league fixtures, a sequence that has stalled their chase of Inter at the top.
Napoli’s next chance to respond comes against Sassuolo, who arrive at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium without a league victory since 6 December against Fiorentina. Since matchday 15, Sassuolo have recorded three draws and three defeats, sharing that winless status in Serie A with Cremonese and Pisa over the same period.
Recent head-to-head meetings strongly favour Napoli. The Partenopei have won their last six Serie A matches against Sassuolo, scoring an average of 3.7 goals per game. Napoli currently enjoy a longer active league winning streak only against Sampdoria, with nine straight victories, while they also hold six consecutive wins against Crotone.
Napoli vs Sassuolo Serie A players to watch and key numbers
Napoli have been strong against newly promoted opponents this term, winning all three such Serie A fixtures so far. They achieved the same feat last season before gaining only two points from three comparable games in the second half, and they have not recorded four straight wins in one season against promoted teams since 2018-19 under Carlo Ancelotti.
Defender Amir Rrahmani is a notable threat for Napoli against Sassuolo. Rrahmani has been involved in three Serie A goals versus Sassuolo, with two goals and one assist, more than against any other opponent. All three of those contributions have come across Rrahmani’s last five league appearances against the Neroverdi.
For Sassuolo, Armand Lauriente stands out statistically in domestic league competition since the beginning of 2022-23 across Serie A and Serie B. Lauriente has scored 33 league goals for Sassuolo in that span, more than any teammate, and supplied 18 assists, a tally only bettered at the club by Domenico Berardi with 26 assists.
However, Lauriente has yet to register a goal or assist against Napoli in Serie A, despite facing the club at least five times. Napoli are one of three teams against whom Lauriente has no league goal involvement, alongside Lazio and Torino, both of whom Lauriente has also played five league matches against without scoring or assisting.
Full time: #NapoliParma 0-0 #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/UTen0xLoqnOfficial SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) January 14, 2026
Napoli vs Sassuolo Serie A match prediction and Opta data
Despite Napoli’s recent run of three draws, Opta’s model still rates Conte’s side as clear favourites against Sassuolo. This reflects Napoli’s stronger overall league record, their superior head-to-head results, and Sassuolo’s ongoing difficulty in converting performances into wins since early December.
According to Opta’s win probability model, Napoli are given a 62.8% chance of victory, with the draw rated at 21.1% and Sassuolo’s chances at 16.1%. These numbers align with the broader trends, as Napoli chase Inter in the title race while Sassuolo attempt to halt a lengthy winless sequence.
As Napoli prepare to host Sassuolo, McTominay’s individual form, Albertini’s public praise, Rrahmani’s strong record in this fixture, and Lauriente’s contrasting struggles against Napoli provide a clear statistical backdrop, while historical head-to-head data and Opta projections collectively point towards Napoli as favourites in this Serie A contest.
