Napoli welcome AC Milan to the Stadio San Paolo on Sunday night knowing that anything less than a win could consign them to a season without Champions League football.
Of course, the Europa League avenue is one that remains open to them to achieve that goal but putting too much emphasis on your chances in a knockout competition could prove fatal for the Vesuviani.
However, after a disastrous 4-2 loss to Empoli on Thursday night, they now sit five points behind Roma with just five games left to play and suddenly all of the positivity that surrounded them upon their emergence from their ritiro looks to have eroded the morale in the camp once more.
Another team who have been committed to isolation as a result of poor performances are their opponents, AC Milan although it shows no signs of having the positive impact on them that it had on the Partenopei.
They have been out of sorts with the mood around the club at an all time low. The toxic environment culminated in farce at the Giuseppe Meazza on Wednesday night as the Curva Sud ultras staged another angry protest against the club hierarchy who dithered embarrassingly over their decision to sack coach Filippo Inzaghi before granting him a reprieve in the end.
All is not well then for either side coming into this game although, if it does mean anything, the Diavolo do come in with the mental cushion that they have a win over Napoli to their credit already this season when they hosted them in December thanks to a goal in each half from Jeremy Menez and Giacomo Bonaventura.
That seems like a long time ago now. In the 18 Serie A matches that they have played since then, Inzaghi’s men have won just four times and three of those wins came against the sides currently occupying the relegation places.
These two teams have also conceded more goals than any other team in the top half of the Serie A table so expect goals from this one if their respective shaky defensive displays so far have been anything to go by.
Against Empoli on Thursday night, Dries Mertens picked up an injury that looks set to give Lorenzo Insigne the chance to further his fitness upon his return from injury while Kalidou Koulibaly is likely to be dropped after a disappointing showing.
AC Milan have a number of players likely to face late fitness tests including central defenders Alex and Gabriel Paletta while Ignazio Abate, Philippe Mexes and Menez are all suspended.
Form Guide: Napoli (L-W-W-W-L-D), AC Milan (L-L-D-D-W-W)
Expected Starting XIs
Napoli: Andujar; Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Ghoulam; Inler, Gargano; Callejon, Hamsik, Insigne; Higuain.
AC Milan: Lopez; De Sciglio, Bonera, Rami, Antonelli; Poli, De Jong, Bonaventura; Honda, Pazzini, Cerci.
