Napoli eye Scudetto as Inter target post-Barca bounce-back

Coach Antonio Conte has repeatedly stated that Napoli's position as Inter Milan's main rivals for the Scudetto would have been "unthinkable" at the start of the season.

And it is true that Conte has performed a minor miracle in taking a club still reeling from the worst title defence in Serie A history to three points clear at the top of the league with less than a month left in the season.

No-one would have imagined Napoli even challenging for the Champions League positions when, as Conte said, they began this season by melting "like snow in the sun" in a humiliating 3-0 defeat at Verona.

But Conte, aided by the key signings of Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay late in the summer transfer window, has created a new team on the ashes of the one which broke a three-decade title duck two years ago.

Napoli have already guaranteed at least a top-four finish but Conte can taste his fifth Scudetto as coach after a hat-trick with Juventus and the 2021 title won with Inter. "It's all in our hands," said Conte after last weekend's 2-0 win over Torino, earned with a McTominay double.

"We worked really hard and are seeing the fruits of that labour... Seeing where we started from, that's remarkable." It hasn't been all been easy going at Napoli however as Conte has made it very clear he wants serious investment in the team if he is to stay in Naples.

Conte is well aware of the advantage he has had by not having any European commitments in his first season at Napoli, as reigning champions Inter wobble under the weight of an exhausting campaign.

Inter held Barcelona to a thrilling 3-3 draw on Wednesday night and will probably be without captain Lautaro Martinez after he was forced off just before half-time in Catalonia with a thigh problem.

Just below Napoli and Inter the battle for the two remaining Champions League spots is extremely tight with six points separating Atalanta in third and eighth-placed Fiorentina.

Atalanta should at least stay four points clear of fifth spot as Gian Piero Gasperini's team take on doomed Monza, and also have the luxury of not playing at home where they have won just one domestic fixture since the turn of the year.

Meanwhile fourth and fifth do battle on Sunday night when Juventus travel to Bologna in a key test for both teams, and sixth-placed Roma's 18-league match unbeaten streak will be put to the test with the visit of Fiorentina.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Friday

Torino v Venezia (18.45)

Saturday

Cagliari v Udinese, Parma v Como (13.00), Lecce v Napoli (16.00), Inter v Verona (18.45)

Sunday

Empoli v Lazio (10.30), Monza v Atalanta (13.00), Roma v Fiorentina (16.00), Bologna v Juventus (18.45)

Monday

Genoa v AC Milan (18.45)