Former AC Milan and Italy midfielder Demetrio Albertini admitted he was surprised by Scott McTominay’s “extremely high level of quality”.
The Scotland international was named Serie A MVP last season after helping Napoli win the Scudetto following his move from Manchester United.
He scored twelve goals and registered four assists in the 2024/25 season, with only Romelu Lukaku (14) scoring more for Antonio Conte’s side last season.
The 29-year-old has scored five goals and provided three assists this season, but Napoli are six points behind Inter in the Serie A title race.
McTominay will aim to help Napoli return to winning ways after three straight draws when they host Sassuolo, who have failed to win any of their last six (D3 L3).
“He surprised me with his extremely high level of quality, with the all-round ability that he has managed to impose in a year and a half,” Albertini told Gazzetta.
“We’ve seen him do everything: play as a box-to-box midfielder, as a winger, as a striker and then even as a midfielder and playmaker. How many players like him are there around?”
“That he has been the strongest midfielder in Italy is not just my opinion; his fellow players said so too when he was voted MVP at the Gran Gala del Calcio. Those votes come from players like him, and they count for more.”
“He scores a lot and his goals are usually decisive. That is a big difference from the norm. I don’t know whether he is also the best in Europe, but he is certainly among the very best and that almost feels like a detail to me.”
Full-time: #NaplesParma 0-0
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— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) January 14, 2026
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Naples – Amir Rrahmani
Rrahmani was directly involved in three goals in Serie A against Sassuolo (two goals, one assist), his most against an opponent in the league, with all three goals coming in his last five games against them.
Sassuolo – Armand Lauriente
Since the start of the 2022/23 season, Lauriente has scored 33 goals for Sassuolo in the league (Serie A and Serie B), more than any other teammate, while also providing 18 assists, only fewer than Domenico Berardi (26).
However, Napoli are one of three teams that Neroverdi’s striker has yet to register a goal against, despite playing against them at least five times in Serie A (including five games against Lazio and Torino).
MATCH PREDICTION – NAPOLI WIN
Napoli have won their first three games in Serie A against promoted sides this season, a feat they also achieved last season, before taking just two points from their three such games in the second half of the season.
The Neapolitans have not won four consecutive games in a season against teams promoted from Serie B since 2018/19 under Carlo Ancelotti.
Napoli have won all their last six Serie A matches against Sassuolo, with an average of 3.7 goals per game; the Partenopei only have a longer winning streak against Sampdoria (nine), while they also have six consecutive wins against Crotone.
However, Napoli have drawn their last three games in Serie A, the same number of draws as in their previous 24 games in the competition (W17 D4); they haven’t had a longer series of draws since February-March 2013.
Sassuolo has not won in Serie A against Fiorentina since December 6; since then they have collected three draws and suffered three defeats. In that period (from MD15) only Cremonese, Pisa and the Neroverdi remained without a win in Serie A.
OPTA CHANCE OF WINNING
Naples – 62.8%
Draw – 21.1%
Sassuolo – 16.1%
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