Napoli v AS Roma: Unbeaten visitors face absence test two points off top

AS Roma have gone seven league games without defeat, but their trip to Napoli brings an availability test as they try to close a two-point gap to Serie A leaders Inter. P. Dybala is out with a calf injury and D. Malen is suspended following a red card.

Third-placed Roma have collected 17 points from five wins and two draws. Napoli sit ninth on 10 points, giving the hosts a chance to narrow the seven-point gap between the sides.

Roma’s injury list also includes M. Bah with a knee injury, M. Kone with a muscle injury and M. Svilar with a toe injury. Bryan Cristante’s status needs a distinction: he is listed as out for this fixture with a knee injury, although Roma announced his return to their Champions League squad for the meeting with Slovan Bratislava after around 20 days sidelined. That European squad inclusion does not establish his availability against Napoli.

The hosts have four players ruled out. A. Buongiorno has a knee injury, A. Vergara a calf injury, while C. Favasuli and David Neres are both sidelined with thigh injuries.

Napoli’s opening seven matches have produced three wins, one draw and three defeats, with a goal difference of plus three. Their last two results underline the contrast in that start: a 3-0 home victory over Frosinone followed by a 1-0 away defeat at Venezia.

Roma arrive after beating Genoa 2-0 at home, having drawn 0-0 away to Como in their previous league outing. Those consecutive clean sheets accompany a goal difference of plus 13 across their first seven matches.

The table gives this meeting a clear purpose for both sides. Roma are within two points of first place, while Napoli enter Week 8 looking to build on their last home result rather than carry the Venezia setback into another league match.

Kickoff is at 18:00 CEST on Saturday 24 October, with Napoli at home in Week 8 of the 2026/27 Serie A season.

Questions

How close are AS Roma to the top of Serie A?

Roma are third with 17 points from seven matches, two behind leaders Inter. They have won five and drawn two without losing.

Is Bryan Cristante available against Napoli?

Cristante is listed as out for this fixture with a knee injury. He has returned to Roma’s squad for the Champions League meeting with Slovan Bratislava, but that inclusion does not confirm his availability against Napoli.

What is a clean sheet?

A clean sheet means a team completes a match without conceding a goal. Roma kept clean sheets in their last two league games, drawing 0-0 with Como and beating Genoa 2-0.