Napoli-Fiorentina (match preview)

By: Joe | March 18th, 2008

Napoli welcome EUFA Cup quarterfinalists Fiorentina to the Stadio San Paolo on Wednesday evening. The Viola are sitting pretty in fourth place and it’ll take a near collapse at this point for them to fall out of that last Champions League qualification spot.

Fiorentina signed 143 forwards this off season including everyone’s favorite club hopping man-skank Christian Vieri. Bobo has actually been on his best behavior this season. Maybe that’s just because Antonio Cassano has been such a nutjob in comparison?

The truth is while the Vieri stories provided fodder for the papers early this season, Fiorentina’s success is predicated on four factors: coach Cesare Prandelli, keeper Sebastien Frey and a steady, if unspectatcular backline, and the enigmatic Romanian Adrian Mutu.

A few years ago Mutu could give any jet-setting, international playboy with a rolled up $100 in his tailored Gucci shirt a run for their money. Under the guidance of Prandelli, however, Mutu has at long last fulfilled his
promise and become more than a lightning rod of controversy. He’s, gasp!, a steadying influence and inspirational leader for the Viola. Having been out
for more than a month with a knee injury, the prevailing sense was Fiorentina would lose their grip on the last Champions League spot and get bounced out of the EUFA Cup. The fact that neither happened is a testament to the strength of the entire Viola side. Mutu celebrated his return against Genoa by scoring and cementing his sides lock on 4th place.

Prandelli employs a 4-man backline in front of Serie A’s best keeper, Sebastien Frey. Gigi Buffon may be the only Juventus player I don’t loathe (ok, maybe Nocerino as well) but I believe Frey just edges him out as the best keeper in Serie A. Former Napoli and Viola keeper Pino Taglialatela says the two are at least on level footing.

I’m just glad Raymond Domenech is in charge of the Cocks in France. Frey can’t break into the Blues starting XI and Domenech might actually start Fabian Barthez if he were only playing for a 3rd division Algerian side. Your loss, Frenchie! Frey is commanding force in the box punching out all but the best whipped in crosses, is a fantastically acrobatic shot stopper and can hold his own distributing from the back. Frey is helped out by a back line that has little turnover and is packed with experience. The combination of Captain Dario Dainelli and Alessandro Gamberini as center halfs are fantastic at clearing the traffic in front of goal. Luckily Gamberini is out injured so they’ll go with
Dainelli and Per Kroldrup in the middle. While Fiorentina’s fullbacks Tomas Ujfalusi and Manuel Pasqual aren’t exactly offensive-minded fullbacks, they do provide some width and are capable of more than say Napoli’s Mirko Savini, Gyorgy Garics, Gianluca Grava and Erminio Rullo combined. I realize that’s damning with faint praise but the gulf in talent between our fullbacks and theirs is ridiculous.

And therein lies the dilemna for the Azzurri. At almost every position on the pitch, Fiorentina are more talented, more experienced or both. When I keep thinking that Napoli’s advantage lies in the fact that Fiorentina has to be tired due to their 2nd leg EUFA Cup match in Liverpool against Everton (they advanced after 120 minutes on penalties) and they have some key players injured or suspended, I know I’m deluding myself. The fact that the match is being played in Napoli could be the biggest determining factor. On the other hand, Fiorentina have only lost three times in 14 road matches (outscoring opponents 17-12) and Napoli have garnered the 7th most points at home (24) while outscoring opponents 19-15 at the San Paolo. So who knows?

Keeper Genarro Iezzo and defender Andrea Cupi are back in training with the side but I don’t believe there’s much chance either will see the pitch tomorrow night. It’d be nice if Reja gave Argentine keeper Nicolas Navarro a chance to show why PierPaolo Marino spent over 4 million euro on the kid but that ain’t gonna happen. Hell the rumour is Reja is looking to start Roberto Sosa up top with Ezequiel Lavezzi because Emmanuele Calaio didn’t show much against Juventus on Sunday. Way to give anyone under 30 a solid chance to prove themselves, Reja. Jerkoff!

Probable lineups:
Napoli (3-5-2) Gianello; Santacroce, Cannavaro, Domizzi; Mannini, Blasi, Gargano, Hamsik, Savini; Sosa, Lavezzi
Fiorentina (4-3-3) Frey; Ujfalusi, Dianelli, Kroldrup, Pasqual; Donadel, Liverani, Montelivo; Semioli, Pazzini, Mutu
Suspended/Injured:
Fiorentina (Jorgensen, Gamberini, Gobbi)
Napoli (Zalayeta, Iezzo, Cupi)
Diffidati:
Fiorentina (Pasqual, Liverani, Dainelli, Montolivo, Mutu, Pazzini, Donadel)
Napoli (Garics, Gargano, Contini, Domizzi, Santacroce, Savini, Pazienza)

If you live in Italy you can watch the match on Sky Sports. The rest of us will have to make due with listening to the radio stream on Radio Marte.

FORZA NAPOLI!