Napoli v Atalanta – Preview: Partenopei out to defend Champions League spot

Date: 1st May 2016 at 5:19pm
Written by:

Higuain Napoli RomaNapoli host Atalanta on Monday night at the Stadio San Paolo in Serie A to hold on to their vital second place.

After losing to Roma last week, the Partenopei are only two points clear of the Giallorossi and need a win to keep Luciano Spalletti’s men away. Second place guarantees direct qualification to the Champions League, and coming third would be a real failure for Napoli, who have lost in away games since the 1-0 win in Palermo in March, but have won their last four home games.

Atalanta, meanwhile, has mathematically obtained safety from relegation with the 1-0 win over Chievo, courtesy of a Marco Borriello volley. The former AC Milan striker has scored four goals in the last three, giving La Dea five crucial points to secure Serie A football next season.

In the game in Bergamo back in December, a Gonzalo Higuain double gave the visitors all three points after a well fought game. Last season’s encounters saw both games end 1-1, including at the Stadio San Paolo.

Sarri will be hoping the result is a win, and to achieve it he will play his best starting eleven. The motivations are all on Napoli’s side, that will go on the pitch with the usual 4-3-3 formation, with Lorenzo Insigne set to start ahead of Dries Mertens. The Belgian international has started the past three games, but Sarri is likely to pick Insigne instead of him this time. Napoli don’t have any injured or banned player for this game, giving the coach the best possible choice.

Edy Reja, on the other hand, has several injured players – namely Mauricio Pinilla, Carlos Carmona and Guglielmo Stendardo – and will also have to play without Alejandro Gomez and Gabriel Paletta, two integral components of his best eleven, who are both banned. Nicolo’ Cherubin should replace Paletta at centre back, while Marco D’Alessandro will take Gomez’s role alongside Alessandro Diamanti and Borriello up front.

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

Expected Starting XI’s

Napoli: Reina; Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly, Ghoulam; Allan, Jorginho, Hamsik; Callejon, Higuain, Insigne.

Atalanta: Sportiello; Masiello, Toloi, Cherubin, Dramé; Cigarini, De Roon; Kurtic, Diamanti, D’Alessandro; Borriello.

 

Comments are closed.