Napoli vs AS Roma | Serie A | Derby del Sole | Predictions, Tips & Odds

In the Italian Serie A, the most successful clubs come mainly from the originally richer north. Juventus from Turin, AC Milan and Internazionale from Milan have the lion’s share of national titles. But wonderful football is also played in the centre and south. Capital Rome has two important clubs: Lazio Roma and AS Roma. The latter club has been playing the Derby del Sole against a cult club from the south, Napoli, for almost a century. Two real clubs of the people.

Napoli – AS Roma | Derby
A shared passion often leads to friendship, but so does a shared dislike. Napoli and AS Roma had to watch for decades as the clubs from the rich north of Italy distributed the prizes in Serie A.

Juventus, AC Milan and Internazionale (and in the 1940s Torino) alternately became national champions, Rome and Napoli had to watch idly. This first created a friendship in this derby, which later turned into hostility.

Derby del Sole history

In the 1941-1942 season, AS Roma managed to become national champions for the first time. But that was only a pinprick in the years of domination of northern Italy. As a result, a common dislike for northern clubs grew and the Derby del Sole (or Derby del Sud) was a very friendly derby.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, both clubs climbed up in Italian football. AS Roma did just a little better and started competing for the national title. Napoli hoped – because of their hatred towards the north – that AS Roma would become champions.

Because of this good relationship, fans of both clubs went to the other’s home matches en masse. In the duels between them, ultra’s (‘very fanatical fans’) exchanged flags with each other before the match.

Friendship turns to hate in the Diego Maradona era

Napoli also began a rise to the top after the purchase of Diego Maradona in 1984. But a 1985 transfer would strain the friendship. That’s when Napoli bought striker Bruno Giordano from… Lazio Roma, AS Roma’s arch-rival.

On 25 October 1987, shortly after the first national title for Napoli, the friendship was over for good. Towards the change of flags, Roma’s representative simply walked off without changing. After the match, Napoli player Salvatore Bagni made things worse, raising a ‘f*ck you’ in Italian to the Roma supporters.

Kevin Strootman prompts more row

The bond between the two clubs received another blow 27 years later. AS Roma player Kevin Strootman was shown a red card in the Coppa Italia semi-final against Napoli. As he walked past Napoli’s hard core, he spat in their direction.

A month later, this match was scheduled in Serie A, and exactly then Kevin Strootman tore his cruciate ligament. Napoli’s fans enjoyed and displayed a banner in the next match with: ‘Kevin krak … I’m still enjoying it.’

AS Roma’s fanatical supporters did not let that go over their heads. A month later, the final of the Coppa Italia was scheduled, between Napoli and Fiorentina. At Rome’s Stadio Olimpico. Ultra’s of AS Roma laid an ambush in front of Napoli’s player bus and started pelting it.

A counterattack by Napoli fans was met with a pistol shot by a fascist leader of Roma fans. He hit a Napoli fan who died of his injury two months later. Things never went so bad after that, but friends the two clubs will never be.

Betting on Derby del Sole | betting markets

AS Roma and Napoli have been regular sub-toppers and sometimes candidates for the national title in recent years. But since AS Roma’s Scudetto in 2001, both clubs reached a maximum of second place in the league. The battle between them is no less, we look at the best betting markets.

Betting on winner

The Mobile Wins Sports sees everything, including Serie A football. In the last few years, Napoli have often been the best of the Derby del Sole, but rarely with great superiority. If you predict the right winner of this derby, you can grab a nice profit.

Betting on goal scorers

The days of Diego Maradona, Francesco Totti, Dries Mertens and Marek Hamsik in this derby are gone. But of course, both clubs have plenty of players who do want to score a goal in this heated derby. The betting market on goal scorers often yields nice odds.

Bet with special odds

Want to increase your odds even further or maybe even take advantage of a free bet when betting on Serie A football? Then check the Mobile Wins Sports for the best promotions and actions.

What makes Napoli – AS Roma unique?

Many football fans watch the exploits of Italy’s traditional top three: Juventus, AC Milan and Internazionale. But the battle between these two clubs is at least as fascinating.

So what once began as a good friendship descended into mutual hatred and heated duels between them. Both clubs have been yearning for another league title for years, but have been competing at the top in recent years with several second-place finishes.

Standings

The Derby del Sole has now been played 174 times. AS Roma is still in the best position with 66 victories. Napoli had 52 victories and 56 draws. In total, AS Roma scored 225 goals, against Napoli’s 196.

The all-time top scorer in this derby is a Napoli player though, Dries Mertens with nine goals. AS Roma player Dino da Costa follows on eight goals. Among others, Francesco Totti (AS Roma) and Edinson Cavani (Napoli) scored seven goals.

Legendary players

The above players have obviously had a wonderful time at their clubs. In fact, Dries Mertens is Napoli’s all-time top scorer with 148 goals in 397 games. Behind him, we find two of his contemporaries: Lorenzo Insigne with 122 goals and Marek Hamsik with 121 goals. Hamsik is also the club’s record holder with 520 games in 12 years.

Diego Maradona, however, remains the biggest club hero: he led Napoli to two league titles, a UEFA Cup (Europa League), Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana with 115 goals in seven years. Not for nothing has the Stadio San Paolo changed its name, to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

At AS Roma, Francesco Totti is the first, second and third name you mention when it comes to club legends. Totti played his entire career for AS Roma from 1993 to 2017, reaching 786 matches, 307 goals and five awards: one national title, two Coppa Italia and two Supercoppa Italiana. Daniele de Rossi was also a contributing player of AS Roma from 2001-2019.

Derby Top 4

28 January 2001: AS Roma – Napoli 3-0

The 2000/2001 season was the last time a club not named Juventus, AC Milan or Internazionale became champions. Ten years after the national titles of Napoli and Sampdoria, it was once again AS Roma’s turn.

In the Derby del Sole, the capital club began a run of seven wins in a row. Marco Delvecchio, Gabriel Batistuta and Francesco Totti provided the goals.

20 October 2007: AS Roma – Napoli 4-4

The most goal-rich encounter of the last 20 years was on 20 October 2007 at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico. It was Marek Hamsik’s first season in Napoli’s service and he scored against the great rival.

At AS Roma, Francesco Totti and Daniele de Rossi, among others, scored. In fact, the eight goals came from eight different players.

February 5, 2014: AS Roma – Napoli 3-2

In the 2013/2014 season, the two clubs played against each other in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia, over two duels. In the first encounter, AS Roma grabbed the advantage through two goals from Gervinho and one from Kevin Strootman, among others.

February 12, 2014: Napoli – AS Roma 3-0

You’re obviously curious about the clip of Kevin Strootman provoking Napoli’s supporters? On this one, when AS Roma were now facing a 3-0 deficit in the return of this semi-final.