Serie A leaders Juventus host Napoli on Sunday night and a Bianconeri victory will fire the reigning champions seven points clear with four games remaining.
Representing the north and south of Italy, Juve and Napoli have developed a fierce rivalry, with off-pitch issues including Gonzalo Higuain’s switch from Naples to Turin creating further animosity.
Here, Press Association Sport looks at five classic encounters between the clubs.
Napoli 1 Juventus 0 – November 3 1985
Juventus 1 Napoli 3 – November 9 1986
Napoli 2 Juventus 2 (Napoli win 8-7 on penalties) – August 27 2006
Juventus 2 Napoli 3 – October 31 2009
Juventus 2 Napoli 1 – October 29 2016
Juventus have now won 22 consecutive home games in Serie A:
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Goals: 52Conceded: 8Clean sheets: 14
Amazing record. pic.twitter.com/bT0sqIHP65
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 29, 2016
Juve recovered from that disappointing campaign to win six straight titles and, on their way to Scudetto number six, they had a little help from a former Napoli favourite. Signed amid fury from Neapolitan fans for 90 million euros in the summer, Argentinian striker Gonzalo Higuain lined up against his former employers in the first of four clashes between the clubs last season. ‘El Pipita’ was largely quiet while Leonardo Bonucci and Jose Callejon exchanged goals at the Juventus Stadium but, in the 70th minute, he further broke Napoli hearts by smashing home a loose ball. He did not celebrate.
