Napoli boosted by Udinese injuries
Reuters - Friday 15 April 2011, 09:30
MILAN - Brief news ahead of this
weekend's Serie A matches.
Second-placed Napoli's hopes of another victory to keep on
the tail of leaders AC Milan have been helped by Sunday's
visitors Udiniese being hit by injuries up front.
Top forward Antonio Di Natale is doubtful with an ankle
problem and strike partner Alexis Sanchez is also not fully fit,
so Bernardo Corradi could come into the side.
Udinese are fifth, a point behind Lazio in the fourth and
final Champions League qualifying spot.
Napoli, three points adrift of Milan with six games left,
have forward Ezequiel Lavezzi fit after a knee problem.
Milan have Zlatan Ibrahimovic suspended but fellow striker
Antonio Cassano, fresh from becoming a father, is available
again after a ban to face troubled former club Sampdoria on
Saturday.
"Coach Massimiliano Allegri told him he could spend the
night at the hospital if he wanted but instead he wanted to
train," Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani told Sky.
Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti, whose third-placed
side visit lowly Parma on Saturday, has reacted calmly to
the holders' Champions League quarter-final exit and expects his
team to give their all in an unlikely pursuit of a sixth
straight scudetto.
"Today I would like to thank my team, all the players from
recent years and the current side who have brought so much joy
to all Inter fans, myself included. We are, and always will be,
proud of their achievements," he said in a statement.
"I'm sure the team will dig deep and find the strength and
quality we know they are capable of, so that we can achieve the
targets we are aiming for this season too. And I'm sure, with
the fans' support, the coach and team will bring us more joy."
Parma, just a point above the drop zone, are too good to
go down according to striker Amauri.
"The feeling in the dressing room is good. We still have six
matches and we are convinced we can save ourselves. I don't
think the game with Inter is the most difficult, they are all
tough," he told reporters.
Juventus in seventh have Gianluigi Buffon and Alessandro
Del Piero back from knocks as they bid to boost their outside
hopes of the fourth Champions League qualifying spot with a win
at Fiorentina on Sunday.
Luigi Del Neri could again field a 4-3-3 formation instead
of his favoured 4-4-2 because of other injuries.