Napoli need a win to secure a place in the Champions League group stage, as they host Frosinone at the Stadio San Paolo on Saturday night in Serie A.
The Ciociari come into the final game of the season having already been relegated, but for the Partenopei this is decisive: a win would guarantee top European football next year, whilst a loss or draw would mean Roma could overtake them and leave Maurizio Sarri’s men having to face the playoff round to qualify for the Champions League.
The hosts come into the game after two consecutive wins, following the loss to Roma that brought the Giallorossi back in the fight for second. The Azzurri have though lost three of the last seven games, showing a slight meltdown in the final stage of the season.
Roberto Stellone’s men, have done well recently, including a great draw away to AC Milan, but nine points in their last 12 games means they are mathematically relegated following the loss to Sassuolo last week.
The only time these two sides have played each other in Serie A was earlier this season when Napoli won 5-1 at the Stadio Matusa back in January.
Sarri will be hoping to replicate the result and end the season on a high and to do so he will have a full house at his disposal apart from banned Raul Albiol. Vlad Chiriches is likely to start at centre back instead of the Spaniard, whilst the rest of the starting side will be Sarri’s usual preferred one.
The Canarini will be without goalkeeper Francesco Bardi, with Massimo Zappino replacing him and also without injured Danilo Soddimo, Luca Paganini and Daniel Pavlovic. This gives Stellone the chance to play more or less his preferred starting formation, with Daniel Ciofani and Federico Dionisi leading the line.
Form Guide: Napoli (L-W-L-W-W) Frosinone (W-L-L-D-L)
Expected Starting XI’s:
Napoli: Reina; Hysaj, Chiriches, Koulibaly, Ghoulam; Allan, Jorginho, Hamsik; Callejon, Higuain, Insigne.
Frosinone: Zappino, M. Ciofani, Russo, Blanchard, Crivello; Frara, Sammarco, Gucher, Kragl; D. Ciofani, Dionisi.
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com