Sensing weakness in their rivals, Napoli are aiming to put pressure on Serie A leaders Roma by defeating champions Juventus in Turin tomorrow.
Rafael Benitez’s Napoli occupy second place in the league but are level on 28 points with Juve and three behind Roma who, despite facing lowly Sassuolo, are worried that a lack of strike power will hamper them.
Juventus have not looked as strong as in previous, title-winning seasons, suffering an embarrassing 4-2 defeat at Fiorentina last month and conceding 10 goals in 11 games.
With Gonzalo Higuain, who scored twice in the Champions League win over Olympique Marseille in midweek, leading a stellar forward line that has catapulted them to their best start to a league campaign, Napoli aim to take advantage of the uncertainty in Juve’s back line.
Jose Callejon, Marek Hamsik and Higuain have scored 17 of Napoli’s 24 league goals between them and Argentine Higuain believes he has much more to come.
“I’m happy. I still need to improve but I’m feeling good, and that’s what matters,” the 25-year-old said after Wednesday’s win put Napoli in second place in Champions League Group F.
With an international break coming up next week, both Benitez and Juventus boss Antonio Conte will be picking their best available sides, with Valon Behrami and Hamsik almost certain to return to Napoli’s starting line-up.
Striker Mirko Vucinic may return to the Juve squad after an injury lay-off but will not start and wing-back Stefan Lichtsteiner is still out.
Fernando Llorente and Mauricio Isla are favourites to start in the champions’ preferred 3-5-2 formation, while Giorgio Chiellini returns to the back line after being suspended for his side’s 2-2 Champions League draw with Real Madrid on Tuesday.
While their rivals have an abundance of attacking options, Roma are wondering where the goals are going to come from against Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Rudi Garcia’s side will temporarily go six points clear at the top of Serie A if they win the afternoon kick-off but the Frenchman is lacking attackers with Francesco Totti out until mid-December and Gervinho struggling to recover from a thigh injury.
The Giallorossi have averaged a goal a game in the pair’s absence, compared to nearly three before their injuries, and Adem Ljajic may start in place of Marco Borriello after the Serbian provided some spark in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Torino, a result which spoiled their 100 per cent start to the season.
Unhappy Milan, with question marks over Mario Balotelli’s place in the starting line-up, are away to bottom side Chievo tomorrow while city rivals Inter, lying fourth, host Livorno this evening.
Inter go into the encounter on the back of last weekend’s 3-0 triumph at Udinese, their first win in five games. Livorno, meanwhile, halted a seven-match winless run in Sunday’s 1-0 triumph over Atalanta to climb to 14th place.
Livorno travel to Milan nowhere near full strength with midfielder Marco Biagianti sidelined and defenders Andrea Coda and Leandro Rinaudo as well as midfielder Leandro Greco, all suspended.
“I’m pleased we were able to express good football at Udinese,” Mazzarri said.
“I hope we can hand the same performance but for a longer period against Livorno. But we cannot take Livorno lightly.
“I always tell my players that we should face every game as though it was a Champions League final.”
Fixtures
Serie A
Playing Today
Catania vs Udinese 18.00
Inter vs Livorno 20.45
Tomorrow – 15.00
Atalanta vs Bologna
Cagliari vs Torino
Chievo vs Milan
Fiorentina vs Sampdoria - 20.45
Genoa vs Verona 12.30
Juventus vs Napoli 20.45
Parma vs Lazio
Roma vs Sassuolo
Standings: Roma 31; Napoli, Juventus 28; Inter, Verona 22; Fiorentina 21; Lazio 15; Genoa 14; Atalanta, Udinese 13; Milan, Torino, Parma, Livorno 12; Bologna, Cagliari 10; Sassuolo, Sampdoria 9; Catania 6; Chievo 5.
Serie B
Played Yesterday
Spezia vs Cesena 2-1
Today – 15.00
Bari vs Varese
Brescia vs Avellino
Carpi vs Crotone
Cittadella vs Pescara
Juve Stabia vs Modena
Novara vs Latina
Palermo vs Trapani
Reggina vs Padova
V. Lanciano vs Siena
Monday
Ternana vs Empoli 20.30