Napoli-Atalanta

By: Joe | April 12th, 2008

Napoli look to avenge their worst defeat of the campaign on Sunday as they host Atalanta. In the ‘andata’ portion of the season Napoli were trounced 5-1 at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia by a motivated Bergamo side that capitalized on every opportunity with five different nerazzurri players finding the back of the net.

In an ironic twist, Atalanta coach Luigi Del Neri was rumored to be a target of Napoli should direttore generale Pier Paolo Marino choose not to renew Edy Reja’s contract (please don’t). The two were seen together as recently as last week. However, the Ruggeri family signed Del Neri on for another year and Napoli have to look elsewhere for their next coach. Napoli and Atalanta are both pretty much assured of finishing outside of a UEFA Cup spot and so the sides are really playing out the string and trying to maintain a top 10 finish.

The Azzurri head into the contest almost completely healthy and with only one player out with suspension. Unfortunately that player, Fabiano Santacroce, has proved to be Napoli’s best defender since Marino picked him up from Brescia in January. Napoli’s backline has been maddeningly inconsistent this season and last week against Cagliari Maurizio Domizzi and Paolo Cannavaro both made critical errors contributing to last week’s drubbing in Sicily.

Word from Castelvolturno is that keeper Genarro Iezzo will make his return to the pitch on Sunday. Iezzo hasn’t played since the draw against Lazio and had been recovering from a knee injury. The native Napoletano has been healthy for a weeks but Reja had been sticking with Matteo Gianello in net. It know appears Iezzo will play the next three matches (Atalanta, Parma & Siena) and then be replaced by Argentine signing Nicolas Navarro for the last three matches (Torino, Milan & Lazio). Since spending 4.2 million euro for Navarro in January, he’s yet to take the pitch so Napoli have to find out how the 23-year old performs on the big stage. One of the many decisions this summer will be choosing two netminders to keep between Gianello, Iezzo and Navarro. Biagio Del Guidice is also a promising keeper in Napoli’s primavera side and may get loaned out to get some playing time.

Marek Hamsik, who has played in more matches (32) than any other Azzurri player will make his first start after signing a contract through 2013. Though the renewal is not yet official, Hamsik’s agent confirmed the signing and Napoli haven’t confirmed or denied the news. Marino stated he wouldn’t sell Hamsik for 15 million euro (Napoli originally paid 5.5 to Brescia) and wanted to lock him up. Ironically enough, Napoli also signed their other two young summer signings, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Walter Gargano, through 2013.

Atalanta have a rash of injuries but the most damaging loss will be that of captain Cristiano Doni who leads all Atalanta scorers with 11. Doni is serving the first of a two-match ban he received for his red card offense against Inter. (The other) Zlatan Muslimovic, Jose Talamont and Antonio Langella (8 goals) are also injured. The injuries force Del Neri to make 22-year old Michele Paolucci start his first match of the season up top Sergio Floccari. Atalanta’s poor road record (16 points) is better than Napoli’s (10 points) but the nerazzuri have been outscored 15-24 away from Bergamo and will have a tough time breaking down a Napoli side that generally play an inspired game at the Stadio San Paolo. Enjoy these remaining matches. There are only six after this one and we’ll have to content ourselves with two months of calciomercato talk.

No TV outside of Italy. Radio stream can be heard here and Telecapri (capturing sounds and pictures of the crowd) here.

Probable lineups: (3-5-2): Iezzo; Contini, Cannavaro, Domizzi; Mannini, Blasi, Gargano, Hamsik, Savini; Lavezzi, Calaio
(4-4-2): Coppola; Bellini, Manfredini, Carrozzieri, Belleri; Padoin, Guarente, Tissone, Ferreira Pinto; Paolucci, Floccari

Form: Napoli (L-W-D-W-L) Atalanta (W-L-D-W-L)

1st half goals/goals surrendered: Napoli 14/19, Atalanta 22/23
2nd half goals/goals surrendered: Napoli 27/28, Atalanta 24/23

Forza Napoli!