Antonio Conte has attacked Serie A planners for fixing Napoli’s home game with Fiorentina just three days after the club’s decisive Champions League fixture against Chelsea, with the coach warning that
an already stretched squad faces another demanding test despite a free midweek for both teams after this weekend.
Napoli exited the Champions League on Wednesday, losing 3-2 at home to Chelsea and finishing 30th in the new 36-team league phase, yet Conte has insisted the team’s display deserved respect given the opposition and the circumstances surrounding the match and the squad’s heavy list of absentees.
Conte underlined that Napoli’s domestic form has stalled, with the side now fourth in Serie A, sitting nine points behind leaders Inter after a downturn in results, and argued that the league has not helped by arranging the Fiorentina clash for 18:00 on Saturday rather than allowing extra recovery time. "I think the performance [against Chelsea] should be appreciated; the way we played, with courage, going toe to toe with a team that's built to achieve great things, Conte said. "
The coach highlighted the club’s injury crisis, which has ruled out Kevin De Bruyne, David Neres, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and several others, and stressed the physical cost for those still available. "We were clearly in big trouble in terms of players' availability. Let's not forget that these same players will be playing again on Saturday. You have to wonder who had the bright idea to schedule us at 18:00 on Saturday against Fiorentina, considering there's a free week anyway. That leaves me a bit puzzled. "
Napoli have also been inconsistent in Serie A, recording only one win in the last five league matches, with three draws and a 3-0 defeat against Juventus in the most recent outing, although the Partenopei have not suffered successive league losses since December 2023, under Walter Mazzarri, and remain favourites for this fixture.
Fiorentina arrive in Naples in difficult domestic form, sitting 18th in the table and still inside the relegation zone after missing a chance to climb out with a 2-1 defeat against Cagliari last weekend, while Paolo Vanoli’s team have managed just one victory in their last 11 away Serie A games, drawing five and losing five.
Recent head-to-head results strongly favour Napoli, who have won the last three Serie A meetings with Fiorentina after previously taking only one of five such games, and Fiorentina have earned only one clean sheet in the last 11 league clashes against Napoli, a 0-0 draw on 28 August 2022, conceding 24 goals in that stretch.
| Result | Win Probability |
|---|---|
| Napoli | 51.5% |
| Fiorentina | 22.1% |
| Draw | 26.4% |
Napoli vs Fiorentina key players to watch
Romelu Lukaku remains a central attacking figure for Napoli despite still working towards full fitness, with the forward having contributed to six Serie A goals against Fiorentina, scoring four and assisting two, and managing both a goal and an assist in each of the two league meetings with the Viola during the 2024-25 campaign.
For Fiorentina, Roberto Piccoli has scored twice in Serie A this season, with both goals coming away from home, including one during the most recent away appearance at Bologna, and the striker now has a chance to score in back-to-back away league fixtures for the first time, although there has been only one goal in eight top-flight games against Napoli, scored for Spezia in May 2021.
| Team | Player | Key Serie A Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Napoli | Romelu Lukaku | Six goal involvements vs Fiorentina (four goals, two assists); scored and assisted in both 2024-25 meetings. |
| Fiorentina | Roberto Piccoli | Two away league goals this season; one goal in eight Serie A appearances vs Napoli, for Spezia in May 2021. |
Napoli vs Fiorentina pressure on Vanoli and survival battle
Vanoli’s concerns extend beyond cup elimination, after Fiorentina were knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Como on Tuesday, because dropped points against direct rivals in Serie A threaten survival prospects. "Against our direct rivals, we've earned few points and lost too many. This should make us realise that survival depends on these games, he said. Every head-to-head match is worth six points. Even if we play like we did against Cagliari, we have to be much more focused. They scored the second goal against us, and we were down four against one. We need to be better when chasing back. "
#forzaviola #fiorentina pic.twitter.com/NlNWuyRDY0ACF Fiorentina English (@ACFFiorentinaEN) January 28, 2026
Conte’s frustration with scheduling adds another layer to a fixture where Napoli aim to restart their Scudetto challenge, while Fiorentina chase vital survival points, and recent statistics, form trends and Opta probabilities all lean towards a home victory, though both sides carry clear issues that will influence how the match develops on Saturday.
