Napoli’s joy at qualifying for next season’s Champions League has been clouded by uncertainty over whether they can keep the team together for next season.
The futures of coach Walter Mazzarri, who has transformed the team since replacing Roberto Donadoni in October 2009, and Serie A leading scorer Edinson Cavani will both be in the balance once the season ends.
“It’s difficult to think of a Napoli without Cavani and Mazzarri... we would lose a player who has scored more than 100 goals and a coach who has turned us into challengers for the Scudetto,” said forward Marek Hamsik.
“I hope Mazzarri and Cavani don’t go, so that we can make this Napoli great,” the Slovakian told reporters after Wednesday’s 3-0 win at Bologna assured Napoli of a second-place finish behind champions Juventus.
“In the last three years, we have obtained great results and we want to continue like that.”
Mazzarri, whose side host Siena tomorrow, declined to contemplate the future.
“I want to get as many points as possible and then I will talk to myself and decide what to do,” he said.
“I want us to play well and win against Siena and Roma and give a chance to those who haven’t played so often and have deserved more.”
There can be no doubting the influence of Mazzarri, who en-joyed two good seasons at Sampdoria before moving south nearly four years ago.
He led Napoli to sixth place in his first season in charge, followed by a third place the next season which earned them their Champions League debut.
That itself proved impressive as they reached the last 16 at the expense of big-spending Manchester City.
Uruguay forward Cavani joined the squad at the start of the 2010/11 season and has scored 102 goals in 136 appearances in all competitions since then.
He has a 63-million-euro buyout clause in his contract and there is speculation that Manchester City and Real Madrid are among the clubs prepared to cough up.
Keeping the team together is a constant struggle for Napoli who lost forward Ezequiel Lavezzi before the start of the season when he joined Paris St Germain.
Only the top two teams in Serie A qualify for the Champions League group stage with the third-placed side having to go into the final qualifying round.
Milan will clinch third spot if they beat Roma at the San Siro stadium tomorrow evening or if Fiorentina, four points behind in fourth place in the standings, lose at home to relegation-threatened Palermo.
With two games each to play, Palermo, 18th in the 20-team table with 32 points, will be relegated if they lose that match, or if both Genoa and Torino, the only teams they can catch, win.
Genoa, who are 17th and host Inter, have 36 points and Torino, who visit Chievo, are one place and one point above them.
Siena are virtually certain to follow Pescara into Serie B.
Fixtures
Serie A
Playing Today
Catania vs Pescara 20.45
Juventus vs Cagliari 18.00
Tomorrow
Chievo vs Torino 12.30
Fiorentina vs Palermo 12.30
Genoa vs Inter 12.30
Lazio vs Sampdoria 15.00
Milan vs Roma 20.45
Napoli vs Siena 15.00
Parma vs Bologna 18.00
Udinese vs Atalanta 15.00
Standings: Juve 86; Napoli 75; Milan 68; Fiorentina 64; Udinese 60; Roma, Lazio 58; Inter 53; Catania 52; Parma 46; Cagliari, Chievo 43; Bologna 40; Samp-doria, Atalanta 39; Torino 37; Genoa 36; Palermo 32; Siena 30; Pescara 22.
Serie B
Played Yesterday
Livorno vs Brescia 3-0
Today – 15.00
Ascoli vs Ternana
Bari vs Cesena
Empoli vs Cittadella
Juve Stabia vs Verona
Modena vs Vicenza
Padova vs Spezia
Pro Vercelli vs Novara
Reggina vs Grosseto
Lanciano vs Sassuolo
Monday
Varese vs Crotone 20.45
Standings: Sassuolo 81; Livorno 80; Verona 78; Empoli 69; Novara 60; Brescia, Varese 59; Modena 54; Padova 52; Crotone 51; Bari 50; Ternana, Spezia, J. Stabia, Cesena 49; Cittadella 47; Lanciano 46; Reggina 45; Ascoli 40; Vicenza 38; Pro Vercelli 32; Grosseto 25.