Napoli will be looking to close-in on Serie A league leaders Juventus when they take on a struggling AC Milan in what promises to be a highly-entertaining clash at the Stadio San Paolo.
Napoli, who count with the league's leading scorer Edinson Cavani on their ranks, currently find themselves in third-place of the Serie A with 26 points, one point behind second-placed Inter Milan, and five points behind the league leaders.
The Partenopei come into the game in highly-confident mood after crushing Genoa 4-2 last weekend. Prior to that game, Walter Mazzarri's side had beaten Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk by the same score-line for the Europa League, with the brilliant Cavani hitting all four goals.
Despite the fact that they will be unable to count with the services of Juan Zuniga, Goran Pandev and Valon Behrami, Napoli will rate their chances of overcoming a sluggish Milan, who have won just four of their twelve league games this season.
The fact that they languish in 13th position of the 20-team Italian First Division is simply not acceptable for Milan's standards, and if they fail to pick up a positive result from their visit to Naples, it could lead to the dismissal of Massimiliano Allegri.
For Saturday's clash, Milan's coach will be without several players, including Daniele Bonera, Ignazio Abate and the suspended Massimo Ambrosini.
Allegri, who has constantly changed his starting line-up this season, hasn't forgiven Alexandre Pato for his penalty miss in the 3-1 defeat to Fiorentina last weekend, and has decided to replace the Brazilian international with former Inter Milan striker Giampaolo Pazzini.
The Rossoneri have won just one of their last five away games this season, and are more than aware that they will have to be at their very best to get something out of this game.
Napoli are yet to lose at home this season, having won five of their last six games, and will surely settle for nothing less than the three points against a beatable Milan outfit.
Napoli's last four matches
Nov 11, 2012: Genoa 2-4 Napoli (Serie A)
Nov 8, 2012: Napoli 4-2 Dnipro (Europa League)
Nov 4, 2012: Napoli 1-1 Torino (Serie A)
Oct 31, 2012: Atalanta 1-0 Napoli (Serie A)
Milan's last four matches
Nov 11, 2012: Milan 1-3 Fiorentina (Serie A)
Nov 6, 2012: Milan 1-1 Malaga (UEFA Champions League)
Nov 3, 2012: Milan 5-1 Chievo (Serie A)
Oct 30, 2012: Palermo 2-2 Milan (Serie A)
Facts
- The last time Napoli faced Milan at home was in September of 2011, when they won 3-1 courtesy of a superb Cavani hat-trick.
- Milan have won only three of their last 22 games at the Stadio San Paolo, with their latest away win (2-1) coming in October of 2010.
