Napoli travel to Turkey on Thursday night as they prepare to take on Trabzonspor at the Huseyin Avni Aker Stadium in the Round of 32 in the Europa League.
The Partenopei should go into the game full of confidence after topping Group I with 13 points, but will be looking to improve on their away record of one win, one draw and one defeat by winning in Turkey.
The hosts on the other hand finished as runners-up in Group L and only came through on goal-difference, trumping Belgian side Lokeren by two goals.
The two teams have never faced each other in competitive matches, but Trabzonspor faced Italian opposition at this stage of last year’s competition.
Juventus were the Black Sea Storm’s opposition with the Bianconeri winning comfortably 2-0 both home and away to secure a 4-0 aggregate win.
Napoli will be hoping to better their performance in last year’s tournament in which they reached the Round of 16 after being eliminated in the group stage of the Champions League.
They defeated Swansea at this stage but then went on to lose to Porto in the next round.
Rafa Benitez may have a few issues with his team selection but out of the team’s key players only Marek Hamsik is doubtful because of a thigh injury.
Other players that will not be at the disposal of the Spanish tactician are Camilo Zuniga (knee), Giandomenico Mesto (thigh), Michu (ankle) and Lorenzo Insigne (knee).
Trabzonspor coach Ersun Yanal will also have selection problems with two suspensions and four injuries.
The two suspensions include Kevin Constant and Mehmet Ekici, whilst Jose Bosingwa (thigh), Essaid Belkalem (hamstring), Majeed Waris (groin) will all miss the game.
Yusuf Erdogan is also doubtful due to an ankle injury.
Expected Starting XI’s
Trabzonspor: Arikan, Nizam, Demir, Medjani, Dursun, Atik, Kara, Yilmaz, Aydogdu, Cardozo, Yatabare.
Napoli: Cabral, Ghoulam, Koulibaly, Albiol, Maggio, De Guzman, Lopez, Inler, Mertens, Callejon, Higuain.
