After being accused of excessively celebrating last Sunday’s 2-0 win over Juventus by Bianconeri director Beppe Marotta, Napoli were brought back down to earth with a 1-0 loss away at Parma.
Speaking ahead of the trip to the Tardini, Pepe Reina told Radio Kiss Kiss that the difference in quality between the Vesuviani’s good and bad displays this season has been too great to pose a threat to either Juventus or Roma and that Napoli need to show more consistency in order to become challengers for the Scudetto.
And after an excellent performance and result against the Old Lady the previous week, the Azzurri had hoped to win their third league match in a row for the first time since November.
But they once again unable to keep their focus as they lost to Parma for the second time in Serie A this season with Marco Parolo scoring the only goal of the game ten minutes into the second-half with a powerful first time shot from the edge of the box.
Despite having the majority of possession, there was little urgency in the Partenopei’s play and they failed to create any significant chances until the closing stages of the match when Dries Mertens, Duvan Zapata and Goran Pandev were substituted on for the star trio of Jose Callejon, Gonzalo Higuain and Marek Hamsik.
Higuain had cut a frustrated figure throughout the game and was clearly irritated when he was withdrawn. While Lorenzo Insigne also voiced his frustrations, this time before the match as the Neapolitan told Radio Kiss Kiss that he feels his work off the ball and sacrifice as a wide player in the current set-up is unappreciated by some of the supporters.
However, club president Aurelio De Laurentiis took his anger after the game to another level after he was captured on RAI programme La Domenica Sportiva having an altercation with a Napoli supporter in the Stadio Tardini car park.
Following the incident the movie mogul called fan Dario D’Agostino to apologise and invite him to a meeting. But D’Agostino declined the apology and has since announced that he intends to sue De Laurentiis.
Napoli are now 12 points behind Roma in second place with seven league games remaining, and Rafa Benitez admits that ousting Fiorentina for the final Champions League qualification spot and to the Coppa Italia is now his ambition for the remainder of the season.
“I still consider this a very, very positive campaign,” the Spanish tactician told Sky Sport Italia after the match.
“However, you can tell we are missing something. We won’t finish second, as Roma win those games that we do not. This is the reality and we have to work every day to improve, but in the meantime we can lock down third and prepare for the Coppa Italia final.”
Next for Napoli is the visit of Lazio to the San Paolo on Sunday afternoon. Edy Reja’s side have won their last two games and are just two points off a Europa League qualification place.
