Reggina-Napoli Preview

By: fortunato | March 21st, 2008

After a fine performance against an excellent Fiorentina team on Wednesday, the Partenopei departed Castelvolturno today for Reggio, Calabria to battle an inconsistent Reggina team at the Stadio Granillo. The Neapolitan team left with the mission of building off of the experienced “high” off of the win against the Viola along with the belief that the most challenging part of their schedule is in fact, behind them. Amazing how one big win has once again started the UEFA Cup qualification spot possibilities!!!

Although Reggina sit well back of Napoli with 26 points, manager Edy Reja realizes that Reggina cannot be taken lightly, particuarly given some of Reggina’s recent performances and results; notably their recent games, including a gutsy performance against Inter at the San Siro (2-0 loss), their four goal outbreak against Siena (winning 4-0 at home) and their 1-1 road draw Wednesday against a favored Livorno squad. Their likely sweetest moment of this season was their 2-1 home win over Juventus on February 23, 2008. See below for a video of their last meeting last Novemberin Napoli. Talk about a gutsy Reggina effort….

Reja has stated that Pampa Sosa will start alongside of Lavezzi at the left striker position in the place of Emanuele Calaio. Reja proceeded to explain that the decision has nothing at all to do with Calaio’s performances against Juventus and Fiorentina but rather more of a fatigue concern. Reja explained that Calaio started Wednesday and really has started only a total of four games this year thus in the interests of keeping him fresh for the remainder of the year, Sosa will start but Calaio will likely get some second half action against Reggina.

Reja has had to make other changes to his lineup due to suspensions to Domizzi, Savini e Mannini but the latter being a rather strange and lengthy suspension (15 days) that dates back to his days at Brescia. The Mannini situation is rather bizarre and basically relates to Mannini’s inability to participate, as requird, in an anti-doping requirement. All this means that midfielder Gianluca Grava, a Napoli stalwart in the previous two seasons at the lower divisions, is expected to get a very rare start.

For Reggina’s part, they are confronting Napoli head on and are looking on building off their recent performances to steer themselves clear of the relegation zone. Reggina President Pasquale Foti stated that DeLaurentiis and Marino have assembled a team built for a very bright future but regardless, the Reggina club will be aiming for the three points.

Reggina is led by manager Nevio Orlandi, who in fact is their third manager this season. On March 3, 2008 Foti dismissed Renzo Ulivieri who had been coaching Reggina since Foti had fired Massimo Ficcadenti on October 31, 2007. From all accounts Orlandi is wearing the “temporary” tag for now.

Reggina appears to be entering the game relatively healthy with the exception of midfielder Francesco Cozza who is battling a calf injury. Orlandi’s main formation is the 4-4-1-1 with the talented Nicola Amorusa (7 goals) and Franco Brienza (6 goals in only 19 games) playing upfront. Reggina has depended heavily upon, ex Roma/Cagliari backup goalkeeper, now two year Reggina starter, 30 year old Andrea Campagnolo. Their defense has been anchored by 30 year old, native Palermitano and ex-Messina defender Salvatore Aronica (left defender) and the 23 year old up and coming Carlos Valdez (central defender).

The two teams last met on November 4, 2007 at the San Paolo where the match ended in a 1-1 tie thanks to a heroic 90th minute goal by Ezequiel Lavezzi. Reggina had taken 55th minute lead, thanks to a Luca Vigiani header. The game also marked a missed penalty by Calaio in the 75th minute who had come on as a substitute. The Partenopei, despite the Lavezzi heroics had left the game with a rather sour taste in their mouths and got a first hand look at perhaps a very talented but under performing Reggina team. If they were taking them for granted in November, they should have learned their lesson for tomorrow.

From a historical standpoint, tomorrow’s match will mark the seventh match between the two teams wth Reggina winning 3, with two ties and only one win for the Partenopei. Their last match played at the Granillo was on November 5, 2001 in a Serie B game won by Reggina, 3-1. Napoli’s last win in Reggio dates all the way back to August 30, 1971 during a Coppa Italia match won 5-1 by Napoli.

Probable Lineups:

NAPOLI (3-5-2): 22 Gianello; 13 Santacroce, 28 Cannavaro, 96 Contini; 14 Garics, 8 Blasi, 23 Gargano, 17 Hamsik, 2 Grava; 7 Lavezzi, 9 Sosa.
BENCH: 30 Navarro, 3 Rullo, 4 Montervino, 24 Dalla Bona, 5 Pazienza, 18 Bogliacino, 11 Calaiò. Coach: Reja

REGGINA (4-4-1-1): 30 Campagnolo; 55 Lanzaro, 5 Cirillo, 16 Valdez, 6 Aronica; 10 Cozza, 8 Barreto, 4 Cascione, 23 Modesto; 81 Brienza; 17 Amoruso.
BENCH: 22 Novakovic, 3 Costa, 18 Hallfredsson, 14 Tognozzi, 19 Makinwa, 11 Joelson, 9 Stuani. Coach: Orlandi

Additional news also finds the great news that Pierpaolo Marino has secured the services of our man, Lavezzi, via a long term contract until 2013. It is appearing that Lavezzi is being regarded as our building block and given the rumblings of Lavezzi drawing the eyes of numerous other teams, this is rather comforting news. Soon after the Lavezzi signing, Marino has also signed keeper Matteo Gianello until 2011.