Napoli’s Freefall Meets a Cremonese Side That Simply Cannot Score

Last Updated on April 23, 2026 12:30 pm by ZUWP Automation

Three defeats in five for the hosts, zero wins in five for the visitors: something has to give at the Maradona

Napoli have won once in their last five Serie A matches. They have been held to a goalless draw at home by AC Milan, beaten at home by Lecce, and then, most recently, beaten at home by Lazio. The Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, once a fortress, has become a place where points are haemorrhaged. Cremonese arrive on Friday evening as a side that has not won in five either, but the nature of their stalemate is different: they have not scored a goal in four of those five matches.

Match Details

• Fixture: Napoli vs Cremonese
• Venue: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona
• Date: 24 April 2026
• Competition: Serie A 2025/26

Form: A Crisis of Confidence vs a Crisis of Goals

Napoli’s recent record reads 1W 1D 3L across their last five, and the results tell a story of a side that has lost its attacking identity. They have scored just one goal in that run, a single strike in a 1-0 win over Torino back in early March. Since then: a goalless draw with Milan, a 0-1 home defeat to Lecce, a 0-1 away defeat at Parma, and a 0-2 home loss to Lazio last weekend. Four matches without scoring. At the Maradona. That is not a blip.

Cremonese’s situation is scarcely more encouraging. Their last five reads 0W 3D 2L, with three consecutive goalless draws sandwiched around a 0-2 home defeat to Bologna and a 0-2 home loss to Fiorentina. They drew 0-0 at Cagliari, 0-0 away at Parma, and most recently 0-0 at home to Torino. Cremonese have not scored in any of those five matches. Not once.

The collision of these two forms creates a peculiar tension. Napoli desperately need goals to arrest their slide; Cremonese are arriving as a side that appears constitutionally incapable of producing them right now. Whichever of those realities proves more stubborn on Friday night will define the outcome.

Key Players to Watch

Scott McTominay is the standout figure in Napoli’s squad by every measurable. The midfielder has 8 goals and 3 assists in 26 appearances this season, averaging 2.7 shots per match with a season rating of 7.14. He has won 127 duels, completed 773 accurate passes, and made 19 interceptions. He is, in short, the engine and the primary goal threat. The problem is that even McTominay has been unable to unlock opponents during this scoreless run.

Kevin De Bruyne offers the creative counterpoint. In 12 appearances he has contributed 4 goals and 17 key passes, operating with a rating of 7.13. His 2 big chances created and economical shot volume (18 attempts, 7 on target) suggest a player who picks his moments rather than flooding the box with low-percentage efforts. If Napoli are to find a way through, it is likely to come through De Bruyne’s vision.

Rasmus Højlund leads Napoli’s scoring charts with 10 goals from 27 appearances, 23 shots on target from 45 total attempts. He wins duels at a high rate (95 across the season) and his movement creates problems. The question is whether that output can be reignited against a Cremonese backline that has kept things tight, if rarely clean.

For Cremonese, Federico Bonazzoli is the focal point with 7 goals and 2 assists from 31 appearances. He has taken 51 shots this season, 18 on target, and created 4 big chances for teammates. The volume is there; the conversion rate tells you why Cremonese are where they are. Jari Vandeputte is the creative force behind him: 4 assists, 45 key passes, and 9 big chances created across 30 appearances. That chance-creation figure ranks him 27th in Serie A. Getting the ball to Vandeputte in space may be Cremonese’s most viable route to breaking their scoring drought.

In goal, Emil Audero has been Cremonese’s most consistent performer. His 113 saves this season rank him second in the entire division, behind only Arijanet Murić. He has faced a siege all season and kept his side in matches they might otherwise have lost by larger margins. At the Maradona, with Napoli needing to prove they can score again, Audero will be tested early.

Season Stats at a Glance

The individual rankings below underline where each side’s strengths lie. Napoli’s creative output is concentrated in a small group of high-impact players; Cremonese’s defensive workload, particularly through Audero, has been extraordinary.

The gulf in goalkeeper saves is the most telling number in that table. Audero’s 113 saves compared to Meret’s single recorded save reflects the fundamental difference in what each side has asked of their goalkeeper this season. Cremonese have survived by defending; Napoli have not needed to call upon Meret in anything like the same volume. Whether that defensive resilience can hold at the Maradona is the central tactical question.

Head to Head

There is only one previous meeting between these sides to draw upon, and it went the way of the visitors. In December 2025, Cremonese travelled to face Napoli and won 2-0, with Napoli as the home side. It is a single data point, not a pattern, but it is a result Napoli will be acutely aware of as they prepare to host the same opposition again. Cremonese have already beaten them this season. That fact sits uncomfortably in the background.

Closing Paragraph

Napoli have not scored in four consecutive matches and are hosting a side that has not scored in five. Something has to give, and the weight of expectation falls on the home side to prove their attacking talent can still function. Cremonese, for their part, have already beaten Napoli once this season and possess a goalkeeper in Audero who has made more saves than almost anyone in the division. The real question Friday night poses is a simple but uncomfortable one for Napoli: can they score at all?