Napoli will have to find a way to stop the goal machine that is Mario Gomez if they are to continue their Champions League dream against Bayern Munich tonight.
The Italians have had a great start to their first experience in Europe’s premier club competition since the days of Diego Maradona.
They followed up a draw away to Manchester City with a victory at home to Villarreal, leaving them second in the group behind the Germans. But with back-to-back games coming up against Bayern, Napoli know they must take something from these matches or risk dropping out of the top two.
And to do so they will have to find a way of stopping Gomez.
The Germany striker has banged in 10 goals in nine league games, hitting four in one, a hat-trick in another and a brace on Saturday against Hertha Berlin.
He also notched two in the 2-0 defeat of City earlier in the group and hit six goals in Germany’s Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, making him one of the hottest strikers in Europe at the moment.
In stark contrast, Napoli’s tenacious forward Ezequiel Lavezzi finds himself without a goal at the San Paolo stadium in a year.
But while there may be a sense of trepidation ahead of the visit from the Munich all-stars, whom coach Walter Mazzarri has described as an “extraordinary” team, there is also an element of relief within the Napoli camp.
Apart from their positive results against top-draw opponents such as City and Villarreal, Napoli have also beaten Milan (3-1) and Inter (3-0) this season.
Their two defeats, however, have come against relative minnows Chievo (1-0) and Parma (2-1) – on Saturday – when they were overwhelming favourites.
And Mazzarri believes tackling the big teams actually helps his side.
“When a team comes here right now aiming for two results from three (i.e. willing to settle for a draw), it’s difficult to find your rhythm because they’re always breaking up the play,” said Mazzarri.
“We have to be 100 per cent brilliant and look for ways to break the deadlock.
“Teams who play as equals give us the possibility to express ourselves and against those teams, things go better.”