Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has praised Scott McTominay’s influence as Napoli prepare to face Parma at the Stadio Ennio Tardini. Napoli arrive on a five-match Serie A winning run and sit seven points behind Inter. Parma are 13th after drawing 1-1 with Lazio and avoided defeat against Napoli last season.

McTominay joined from Manchester United in 2024 and has quickly become central to Antonio Conte’s plans. The Scotland midfielder has started 24 of Napoli’s 31 league fixtures this season. McTominay has scored seven Serie A goals, provided three assists, and was named 2025 Serie A Footballer of the Year.

Conte’s side are favourites for this Napoli vs Parma Serie A meeting, backed by strong form and data. Napoli have won their last five league games and previously managed a seven-match streak under Conte between December 2024 and January 2025. OPTA’s model gives Parma a 18.5% chance of victory, with Napoli at 57.5%.

Draws have shaped this fixture recently, with the last two Serie A clashes between these clubs finishing 0-0. Another stalemate would create three successive league draws between them for the first time. The past six Serie A games at the Tardini between these teams are even, with two wins each and two draws.

Parma’s broader Serie A campaign has featured many tight contests, as only Pisa have drawn more games. Parma have 11 league draws, level with Atalanta, Fiorentina and Lazio. Carlos Cuesta’s team lost the last home league game against Cremonese and have suffered back-to-back home defeats only once this season, against Udinese and Lazio.

Napoli’s defence also arrives in strong shape before this Napoli vs Parma Serie A contest. The Partenopei kept clean sheets in their last two league matches and could extend that to three. That would mark their first run of three consecutive Serie A shutouts in the 2025/26 campaign under Conte.

De Laurentiis highlighted McTominay’s character as much as on-field contributions, underlining the midfielder’s status inside the squad. The president said: “Scott is a real Scottish man. He’s like an actor. Very elegant, very serious. He’s a friend. He’s a good boy. There’s some people you don’t have an exchange with. But with him, you can always have an exchange. He’s a fantastic guy. He’s done a lot in the last two years. He has a big personality. He could be an actor!”

Napoli’s leadership view McTominay as important in the dressing room as on the pitch. The midfielder’s personality is seen as a positive influence during a crucial title race. With seven Serie A fixtures left, including this trip to Parma, Napoli need McTominay’s form and mentality to maintain pressure on Inter.

Adrian Bernabe’s availability has a clear statistical impact on Parma’s results in Serie A. Since the start of the 2024/25 campaign, Parma have averaged 1.2 points per match with Bernabe playing, winning 12 of 48 league games and conceding 1.2 goals per outing. Without Bernabe, points, wins and defensive numbers all decline.

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Without the Spaniard on the field in that period, Parma’s average falls to 0.7 points per match. Parma have won three of 20 league games without Bernabe, a 15% win rate. Goals conceded rise to 2.0 per game, underlining Bernabe’s importance for control and balance against opponents such as Napoli.

For Napoli, Matteo Politano arrives at this Napoli vs Parma Serie A game in improved attacking form. Politano has two goals and two assists in his last four league appearances, matching his goal contributions from the previous 28 matches. A goal at the Tardini would give Politano back-to-back Serie A scoring games for the first time since April 2024.

Politano’s record against Parma is less productive, with only one Serie A goal in eight meetings, scored in January 2021. However, current form suggests Politano can still be a threat from wide areas. His recent output offers Conte another reliable attacking option alongside McTominay’s runs from midfield and Napoli’s strong defensive base.

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The wider context for this Napoli vs Parma Serie A clash remains significant for both teams. Napoli continue to chase Inter with seven games remaining, while Parma sit in mid-table yet must avoid slipping towards danger. Last season’s goalless draw at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona showed Parma can frustrate Napoli, and Cuesta will aim for a similar display on Sunday.