What: Italian Serie A
Who: Napoli vs AC Milan
When: Saturday 17th November, 2012, at 19:45 UK Time
Where: San Paulo, Naples, Italy
Napoli Dream of Title Tilt
Not since the days of Diego Maradona have Napoli as looked as well placed to challenge for the Scudetto as now. Five points off leaders Juventus and with only Inter between them and the reigning champions, Walter Mazzarri’s side come into this game after ending a disappointing few weeks with a 4-2 win at Genoa last time out.
Napoli had been striding pace for pace with Juventus before their defeat away to the league leaders last month, but since they had taken four points from nine games with Chievo, Atalanta and Torino, scoring just twice in the process. Eight goals in a week in two 4-2 wins in a row against Dnipro in the Europa League and Genoa have put the Neapolitans back on track.
Mazzarri’s men lost just one of seven games against Italy’s ‘big three’ last year (Inter, AC Milan and Juventus), and their counter attacking style is particularly effective against Serie A’s biggest teams. The Azzurri continue to lean heavily on the goals of forward Edinson Cavani, one of the world’s most feared strikers; the Uruguayan has been in typically lethal form this season, although Mazzarri denied his team were overreliant on him before their clash with Dnipro. Predictably, Cavani went on to score all four goals in that game. As long as he remains in Naples, then the Partenopei will continue to threaten the traditional elite.
Allegri Clings On in Spite of Poor Form
Coach Massimiliano Allegri is clinging to his job at AC Milan by barely a fingernail, but then that has been the case for much of the season. For the first time in 80 years, and the second time in their history, Milan lost the first two home games of the season. Two wins in total from their first eight games and just another two since have left the club languishing in 13th place. Milan are already 13 points behind city rivals Inter and 17 adrift of Juventus. Even opponents Napoli have a comfortable 12-point cushion over the Rossoneri.
Meanwhile, Milan continue to sit uncomfortably, surrounded by Torino, Palermo and Chievo; hardly the company Italy’s most successful team on the world stage will be used to keeping. Another dire defeat, 3-1 at home to Fiorentina last weekend, has left Allegri fighting for time, rather than his job, which it seems inevitable he will lose eventually. Midfielder Riccardo Montolivo, one of the free transfers brought in over the summer, must be wondering why he left the upwardly mobile Fiorentina for the sinking Rossoneri.
Much now rests on the shoulders of Alexandre Pato alongside Stephan El Shaarawy up front, but the Brazilian will be down after his penalty miss against La Viola – a miss which also saw some of the club’s fans angrily confront him as he left in his car after the game. Although that may have as much to do with Pato’s link to owner Silvio Berlusconi, as he is dating his daughter, with the fans unhappy at the mass exodus of star names last summer.
Recent form
Napoli:
Napoli 1-1 Torino (04/11; Serie A)
Napoli 4-2 Dnipro (08/11; Europa League)
Genoa 2-4 Napoli (11/11; Serie A)
AC Milan:
AC Milan 5-1 Chievo Verona (03/11; Serie A)
AC Milan 1-1 Malaga (06/11; Serie A)
AC Milan 1-3 Fiorentina (11/11; Serie A)
Key absences
Napoli: Goran Pandev (doubt)
AC Milan: Daniele Bonera; Ignazio Abate; Luca Antonini; Sulley Muntari; Djamel Mesbah
Players to watch
Napoli – Marek Hamsik: Aside from the obvious threat of Cavani, Slovakian midfielder Hamsik will be central too Napoli if they are to take three points in this game. With five goals and four assists to his name already this season, he has been a key part of Napoli’s encouraging start to the season. The playmaker is integral to his side’s attacking trident alongside Cavani and Goran Pandev, whose hard work and technical quality is critical to the system. If he can come out on top in the midfield battle Napoli have a great chance.
AC Milan – Stephan El Shaarawy: ‘The Pharaoh’ has been one of the best things about a miserable season so far for the Rossoneri. The half Egyptian, half Italian striker has been in lethal form, his eight goals going some way towards filling the gaping hole left by Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He made his debut for Milan at the San Paulo last season, and after scoring his first international goal for Italy against France on Wednesday night, El Shaarawy comes into this game full of confidence.
Match Prediction
Hugo Campagnaro has been a key part of the Napoli defence, but he could find himself exposed against the speed of El Shaarawy, although that may be negated if Mazzarri plays a deep defensive line. Milan struggled to break down Fiorentina’s three-man defence last week and Napoli’s is stronger still.
Where Napoli can really hurt their opponents is out wide. Fiorentina’s width caused Milan all kinds of problems and Napoli make good use of their two full backs, in particular Christian Maggio on the right. Milan should be able to battle well in the middle of the pitch with Kevin-Prince Boateng back from injury, and they should be able to enjoy their share of possession. But the Rossoneri have looked ponderous and short of creativity for much of the season, and it is hard to see them causing Napoli too many concerns. Montolivo is Milan’s main creative threat, but he will not have space in which to play the accurate long balls that he likes against Napoli.
The home side’s strength on the break, the irrepressible Cavani and a number of injuries to Milan defenders should combine to make this a comfortable victory in the end for Napoli. Napoli 2-1 AC Milan.
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