Team News
Napoli boss Walter Mazzarri will be able to count with a close to full-strength squad, however, the suspension of Marek Hamsik means that the Partenopei will be without one of their most influential players. The Slovak will be replaced by former Inter Milan attacker Goran Pandev.
Pandev will play behind strikers Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi, who accounted for Inter's three goals against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League midweek.
Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri, the under-fire Inter coach, faces a selection nightmare, as Maicon, Ricky Alvarez and Andrea Ranocchia are sidelined with injury. Colombian midfielder Fredy Guarin continues to remain injured since joining Inter from FC Porto in January.
Form
Napoli come into the game in top form, after having come from behind to defeat Chelsea 3-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday. They also won their previous two Serie A encounters against Fiorentina and Chievo, where they scored five goals and conceded zero.
Inter, on the other hand, come into the game in devastating form, as not only did they lose 1-0 against Olympique Marseille in the Champions League on Wednesday, but they have failed to pick up a single victory in their last five Serie A games, where they conceded a total of 13 goals. While they have let in eight goals in their past four games, the Nerazzurri have failed to convert any goals.
Head-to-head
The last time the two sides met, Napoli beat Inter 2-0 for the Coppa Italia on January 25. Cavani scored both of Napoli’s goals to knock out the holders from the competition.
Last October Napoli were also victorious, with a historic 3-0 win at the San Siro stadium for the Serie A. Inter have only won one of their previous five encounters against the Neapolitans.
Prediction
Giant killers Napoli know exactly how to overcome vulnerable opposition, and if they manage to continue to play at an outstanding level they will surely obtain maximum points against Inter at their fortress, the Stadio San Paolo. If this were to happen Ranieri could be forced to hand in his immediate resignation.
The Verdict:
Napoli 1-0 Inter
