Juventus-Napoli Expected Lineups

By: fortunato | March 12th, 2008

Napoli has suffered a tough loss with striker Marcelo Zalayeta’s season ending left knee injury which will pave the way for Emanuele Calaio to start the rest of the season alongside of Ezequiel Lavezzi upfront. Napoli will not have midfielders Manuele Blasi or Daniele Mannini playing as they are both suspended for their back to back yellows. Midfielder Mirko Savini will be available and defender Fabiano Santacroce is expected to start Sunday against the hated the Juventini.

Reja’s expected formation will be the 3-5-2 formation (big surprise) with an expected midfield of Domizzi-Hamsik-Pazienza (who’s back now)-Gargano-Garics. The defenders are expected to be as last week against AS Roma in Contini-Cannavaro-Santacroce. Gianello will start in goal again as Iezzo is still not expected to return for another two weeks.

Juventus will also have some very key missing players due to suspensions and injuries on Sunday as they will be missing regulars Camoranesi, Legrottaglie and Zebina due to suspensions while starter Zanetti and reserve Tiago are out with injuries. Juventus manager Claudio Ranieri is expected to implement their usual 4-4-2 formation with Del Piero and Trezeguet upfront, a midfield of Nedved-Nocerino-Sissoko-Salihamidzic and a backline of Molinaro-Chiellini-Stendardo-Grygera with worldclass Buffon in the nets.

The task seems difficult for our boys. Prime time Sunday night at the Stadio Olimpico in Torino but our team has shown a crazy amount of spunk throughout the season when we expected it least. Juve will be missing key players but at the same time do have a reason to seek revenge since they’ve been crying ever since that October 27 afternoon in Napoli when we took them out 3-1; my head still hurts from all the Juventini whining that the refs were working against them. Also, Juventus has seemed very vulnerable lately, especially defensively. Remember their 3-2 loss to Fiorentina a week and a half ago in Torino?

Let’s not overplay the loss of Zalayeta too much. His loss hurts our depth, no doubt but with all due respect to his team leading 8 goals the Uruguayan has been more off than on this year. In many games he has been invisible and some of the goals he has scored have been of the “garbage” variety.

I predict a good game for our troops and I believe Calaio, has a lot to play for as I feel Reja has completely misused him the way he misused Striker Cristian Bucchi all of last year. This is Calaio’s chance to shine and I am predicting he will. Walter Gargano’s Goal