By Adam Digby (@Adz77)

“Juve-Napoli: The World Is Watching” proclaimed Il Corriere dello Sport this week, the Italian newspaper highlighting the global interest in Saturday’s clash, a game which for once appears worthy of the hype surrounding it. With just two points separating them at the top of Serie A, the head-to-head meeting could be decisive; the Bianconeri looking to gain the psychological edge by finally overhauling their opponents while the southern giants seek to land a fatal blow on the title holders. 

The significance of it has of course been downplayed by the two coaches, but players on both sides have been willing to admit just how important the game will be. “It’s undoubtedly a very decisive match for us and one we can’t afford to lose,” Juve midfielder Claudio Marchisio said after Sunday’s match with Frosinone, while Napoli skipper Marek Hamšík was arguably even more honest.

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“Winning eight games in a row is a nice achievement, but it would be even better if we could win in the end, because that's what really matters,” he said following his side’s tough encounter with Carpi. “Against Juventus we'll be up for a great game, an elimination match. We'll go for a win.”

That the two clubs laboured against teams in the relegation zone last weekend hints that they were already thinking ahead to this fixture, but their previous form has been nothing short of sensational. After their poor start to 2015/16, Juventus have broken their club record by registering fourteen consecutive wins, dragging themselves back into contention after sitting near the foot of the table during the early months of the season.

Meanwhile, that string of victories Hamšík referred to has seen them also set a new benchmark, topping their previous best which came in the late 1980s when Diego Maradona led Napoli to the only two league titles in the club’s history. Twenty-five years have passed since the mercurial Argentinean delivered the last of those triumphs, and there is little doubt that the man most responsible for igniting their renewed challenge is compatriot Gonzalo Higuain.

The former Real Madrid striker has scored a staggering 24 goals in 24 league games this term, already obliterating the tally of 22 set by last year’s leading scorers Mauro Icardi and Luca Toni. He is also closing in on the latter’s 2005/06 haul of 31, the only time in the past 55 years – and only the tenth time in history – that the 30-goal mark had been bettered in Italy.

It is a staggering display of consistency from a player who has also netted twice in just 111 minutes of Europa League action to be only three goals away from the career-high 29 he scored back in 2009/10. According to statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com, only Cristiano Ronaldo (143) has taken more shots than Higuain (132) this term, while his average of 5.5 attempts per game is 1.6 more than any other player in Serie A.

Accounting for no less than 45% of Napoli’s total attacking output, to see him with more goals to his name than the likes of Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar is staggering, but equally surprising has been his ability to net in big games. His misses in the Copa America and World Cup Finals was widely acknowledged as the reason Argentina failed to lift both trophies, but he has already struck against Juventus, Fiorentina and Inter this term to put Napoli firmly in front of that trio.

Indeed, it was his contribution against Juventus back in September that secured all three points, laying on the opener for Lorenzo Insigne before scoring himself in a 2-1 victory. Yet lining up opposite him on Sunday will be another of his countrymen, and Paulo Dybala has been in equally ominous form for the resurgent Old Lady.

Arriving in the summer for a fee which may reach €40 million, the 22 year old has quickly begun to repay that investment, developing rapidly as the campaign has progressed to become Juve’s most dangerous attacking threat. While Higuain’s impact is most keenly felt in the opposition penalty area, Dybala drops deep to pick up the ball, leaving defenders chasing shadows with a wonderful combination of pace, strength and technical ability.

He jinks his way past outstretched legs in a way which brings to mind the likes of Carlos Tevez, Omar Sivori and, yes, Maradona; becoming the latest diminutive Argentinean to leave fans and opponents alike open-mouthed in amazement. With 16 goals and eight assists in all competitions, he has also become the club’s set-piece specialist, routinely picking out team-mates with accurate crosses from both free-kicks and corners.

The presence of the two strikers at Juventus Stadium will be complemented by a plethora of other South Americans too, with the influence of Alex Sandro and Juan Cuadrado steadily growing for the Turin giants while Allan and Jorginho control the midfield for the visitors. The Brazilian-born duo provide the platform on which Napoli’s free-flowing attacking play is built, but there is little doubt that Saturday’s encounter is most likely to be decided by the two Argentinean goal scorers.

Juventus vs. Napoli is a match with no end of intrigue. It is a heavyweight title clash that pits first against second. The best attack vs. the best defence. Champions vs. challengers.  Higuain vs. Dybala.