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Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Campagnaro: 'We can't get this wrong' Nov 29, 2011 “We cannot get this game wrong,” warned Napoli defender Hugo Campagnaro before stepping out against Juventus. The game was rescheduled from early November due to flooding in the city and kicks off at 19.45 UK time this evening. “Juventus are nine points in front of us, so we cannot get this game wrong,” the defender told Sky Sport Italia. “We know that we are facing an excellent team, but we can win this.” Napoli are without the injured Edinson Cavani due to a cut on his ankle, so Goran Pandev joins Marek Hamsik and Ezequiel Lavezzi in the trident attack. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A 11^ giornata - Andata - 29-11-2011 (ore 20:45) - Stadio San Paolo - Napoli Arbitro: Paolo Tagliavento Mazzarri perde Cavani, Conte studia modulo e uomini Fuori causa il Matador, tra gli azzurri: fatale un pestone di Cigarini a Bergamo. Incognita modulo tra i bianconeri: sarà 4-4-2 o 4-2-3-1? 29 novembre, 2011 Finalmente si gioca. Dopo il rinvio, le polemiche, la nuova attesa. Napoli contro Juventus, ovvero scintille assicurate e motivazioni a mille su entrambi i fronti. Gli azzurri hanno un solo risultato a disposizione per continuare a restare aggrappati al treno dell'alta classifica, la Signora - ancora imbattuta - sente aria di fuga e vuole piazzare la prima accelerata della stagione su un campo storicamente ostico. QUI NAPOLI La tegola è arrivata come un fulmine a ciel sereno: Edinson Cavani non ce la fa. Dopo essere rimasto in campo per tutto l'incontro a Bergamo, l'uruguagio si è dovuto arrendere all'entrataccia di Cigarini sulla caviglia. Troppo forte il dolore, impossibile giocare: il sito ufficiale degli azzurri ha confermato il forfait. Al suo posto spazio a Pandev, che avrà dunque una nuova occasione come vertice alto offensivo. Toccherà a Lavezzi e Hamsik, come sempre, ispirarlo negli ultimi 16 metri. Sulla fascia sinistra, Zuniga dovrebbe avere la meglio su Dossena. QUI JUVENTUS Anche Conte si ritrova a dover gestire un'assenza pesante, quella di Claudio Marchisio, ammonito a Roma contro la Lazio e - in diffida - squalificato di conseguenza. La sua defezione non è semplice questione di singoli, ma di modulo. Fondamentale nel ruolo di incursore, non ha un vero e proprio sostituto nell'organico bianconero. Per questo Conte sta pensando di tornare a 4-4-2 con Vidal al fianco di Pirlo ed Estigarribia lanciato dal primo minuto sulla fascia destra. In caso di 4-2-3-1, ci sarebbe spazio per Pazienza in mediana con Vidal trequartista. IL MOMENTO Così così quello del Napoli, scintillante quello della Juventus. Gli azzurri faticano a replicare in campionato le ottime prestazioni fornite in Champions. Dopo l'exploit con il City è arrivato solo un pari - acciuffato per i capelli - a Bergamo, la vittoria in campionato manca dal successo interno contro l'Udinese di un mese fa. Per la Vecchia Signora basta un dato su tutti: è l'unica formazione ancora imbattuta del campionato. Dopo un filotto di successi, al San Paolo si cercano i punti per la grande fuga. LA CHIAVE Entrambe le squadre fanno del ritmo e dell'intensità la propria arma principale: al San Paolo avrà la meglio chi riuscirà a correre di più senza andare fuori giri. Sarà decisiva, come sempre, la prestazione di Pirlo tra le fila bianconere. Tra il pressing dei mediani e quello dei trequartisti, Mazzarri gli riserverà un trattamento speciale. Ma basterà? E poi occhio a come la manovra offensiva degli azzurri soffrirà l'assenza di Cavani, che proprio in queste settimane aveva ritrovato una condizione di forma invidiabile. I PROTAGONISTI Senza il suo Matador, Napoli si affida alle giocate di colui che dal 2007 è sempre stato il leader indiscusso del clan azzurro: dai piedi di Ezequiel Lavezzi passano le speranze dei partenopei, che bramano di rivedere anche un Hamsik nuovamente sui suoi livelli. Sul versante opposto, fari puntati su Mirko Vucinic, spesso a segno contro il Napoli ai tempi della Roma e potenzialmente favorito dallo spostamento in avanti dovuto al passaggio al 4-2-4. Più vicino alla porta potrebbe far male. LE FORMAZIONI NAPOLI De Sanctis Campagnaro - Cannavaro - Aronica Maggio - Inler - Gargano - Zuniga Hamsik - Lavezzi Pandev ------------------------------------------------- Vucinic - Matri Estigarribia - Vidal - Pirlo - Pepe Chiellini - Bonucci - Barzagli - Lichtsteiner Buffon JUVENTUS Testa a testa SSC Napoli Juventus Serie A ‎ 22/mag/2011 Juventus 2 - SSC Napoli 2 Serie A‎ 09/gen/2011 SSC Napoli 3 - Juventus 0 Serie A‎ 25/mar/2010 SSC Napoli 3 - Juventus 1 Coppa Italia ‎ 13/gen/2010 Juventus 3 - SSC Napoli 0 Serie A‎ 31/ott/2009 Juventus 2 - SSC Napoli 3 Ultime 5 Partite SSC Napoli 26/nov/2011 Atalanta 1 - SSC Napoli1 A 22/nov/2011 SSC Napoli 2 - Manchester City FC1 UCL 19/nov/2011 SSC Napoli 0 - Lazio 0 A 02/nov/2011 FC Bayern München 3 - SSCNapoli 2 UCL 29/ott/2011 Catania 2 - SSC Napoli 1 A Juventus 26/nov/2011 Lazio 0 - Juventus 1 A 20/nov/2011 Juventus 3 - Palermo 0 A 29/ott/2011 FC Internazionale 1 - Juventus 2 A 25/ott/2011 Juventus 2 - Fiorentina 1 A 22/ott/2011 Juventus 2 - Genoa 2 A http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Serie A - Preview Juventus could create a 4-point gap over Serie A champions AC Milan tonight. Nov 29, 2011 It’s interesting to know that Juventus have not suffered a single defeat ahead of Tuesday night’s much-anticipated clash at the Stadio San Paolo against Napoli. The Bianconeri were unfortunate enough to secure only draws at home to Bologna and Genoa and away to Catania and Chievo Verona earlier this season. However, they’ve been picking up wins lately. Juventus defeated Fiorentina 2-1 in Turin before imposing themselves with the same score line against Inter at the San Siro last month. The Old Lady gathered more points with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Palermo and a narrow 1-0 win away to Lazio to gain 25 points after 11 games. Juventus are exhibiting team play at their best with Alessandro Matri, Claudio Marchisio, Simone Pepe and Mirko Vucinic sharing goals and assists between them. If Juve clinch their fifth consecutive victory in the Serie A, champions AC Milan will be in trouble. But the Rossoneri can perhaps count on Napoli for a favor. The Azzurri are struggling a bit as a mid-table team this season with 4 draws and 3 losses thus far. However, Napoli have also lost only once at the Stadio San Paolo in the Serie A. If they could avoid defeat on home soil against Fiorentina and Lazio or beat second-placed AC Milan 3-1 and third-placed Udinese 2-0, would anyone dare rule their chances of upsetting Juventus tonight? With the expected absence of Edison Cavani despite the return of Gokhan Inler, Napoli may have to suffer a lot against the Old Lady... http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Edinson Cavani ruled out of Juventus clash The southern Italian must make do without their star striker for the visit of the league leaders, meaning Goran Pandev is now likely to start up front. Nov 29, 2011 Napoli have been rocked by the news that Edinson Cavani will sit out their Serie A showdown with Juventus at the San Paolo on Tuesday night. The Uruguay international suffered a tibia injury in last week’s Champions League win over Manchester City and aggravated the problem in their league clash with Atalanta on Saturday evening. Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri was prepared to give Cavani up until just a few hours before kick-off to prove his fitness but, the player has now been forced to pull out of the squad for the visit of the table-topping Bianconeri. Cavani’s injury-enforced absence from the starting line-up is likely to result in a recall for Goran Pandev, who has yet to score for the Partenopei since arriving on loan from Inter this summer. Meanwhile, in a boost for Napoli, influential Swiss midfielder Gokhan Inler has been passed fit to play in the crunch clash at the San Paolo. The hosts go into the rearranged clash with Juventus in eighth place, nine points adrift of the league leaders. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Serie A Preview Nov 29, 2011 Napoli striker Marek Hamsik is hoping he and his team-mates can rise to the occasion when they host Serie A leaders Juventus tomorrow. The game at the San Paolo stadium was due to be played earlier this month but was postponed due to floods in Naples. Napoli, who have beaten AC Milan, Inter Milan and Manchester City this season, know it will take a monumental effort to stun unbeaten Juve. "We will need to be at our best to beat Juventus, '' Hamsik said. "We need a perfect team performance, one of those which we have put on in the past. "And we hardly ever get it wrong against the big clubs.'' The hosts go into the encounter nine points behind Juve after their 1-1 draw at Atalanta on Saturday. Hamsik knows the importance of this game in view of the Scudetto race. A win for Juve would see the Turin outfit climb four points clear of second-placed Milan, while it would leave Napoli 12 points adrift. "We are Napoli and we cannot let Juventus run away from us,'' Hamsik said. "We know that we will have plenty of support as other teams don't want Juve's lead to grow. "If they take the advantage then it will be complicated to catch them. We need to beat them.'' Juventus travel south on the back of Saturday's 1-0 win at Lazio, courtesy of Simone Pepe's goal. Antonio Conte's men are unlikely to take Napoli lightly and for good reason. The last time Juve won at the San Paolo stadium in the league was back in the 2000-01 campaign. "We can expect a very challenging game in Naples,'' Conte said. "It will be a big test for us even though it's still early in the campaign. "We are nevertheless doing better than our initial predictions and this is the result of the good work done by my players.'' Juve will have to overcome the absence of pivotal midfielder Claudio Marchisio, who serves a one-match ban. Marchisio has scored five goals in 11 league appearances this season. Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri will be without injured midfielder Marco Donadel. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Moratti rules out returning Scudetto Nov 29, 2011 Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti insists he will not countenance any move to restore the 2006 Serie A title to Juventus at a planned meeting organised by CONI next month. The Italian sporting authority has called a meeting on December 14 at which Italian Football Federation president Giancarlo Abete is due to meet all the interested parties to discuss the reasons why Juventus were stripped of the title they won five years ago. Juventus president Andrea Agnelli has pressed for the meeting to take place, but Moratti has dismissed speculation it could be a first step towards reversing the move, saying instead it is about breaking the ice that has existed between the two clubs since. "It is an invitation for those of us directly involved to meet and from my own view this must be constructive,'' Moratti said. "We want to build a friendship and a partnership throughout the league. If there is to be constructiveness in Italian football, we must have goals higher than those of arguing all day. "The past? There are those who judge others, who have already tried or will do so, but this is not for us to get around a table and go over the past.'' Asked how he would respond to a demand to hand the title back to Juventus, Moratti said: "I know we are getting close to Christmas, but I do not believe that requires us to hand over such a gift.'' In May 2006, Juventus were found guilty of match-fixing and stripped of the 2005 and 2006 Serie A titles, and relegated to Serie B. Inter were awarded the 2006 title, but the previous season's was not reassigned.

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Estigarribia ready for Juve start Nov 29, 2011 Marcelo Estigarribia could get his first start for Juventus tonight. “I doubt he’ll be afraid in Naples,” said fellow Paraguayan Edgar Barreto. Estigarribia has so far made only substitute appearances in Serie A for the Bianconeri, but with Claudio Marchisio suspended he is expected to start this evening against Napoli. “He is certainly an important player who proved his quality for Paraguay,” said Palermo midfielder Barreto. “Now he is slowly learning the foundations of what it means to play in Italy. He will give Juventus a big helping hand and Antonio Conte is really counting on him. “He could be seen as the alternative to Marchisio, but he is a very attacking player. His role is wide in a four-man midfield, so I wouldn’t know if he could replace Marchisio. “I doubt he’ll be afraid in Naples. Playing at the packed Stadio San Paolo will be extra motivation.” http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Recent history favours Napoli v Juve Nov 29, 2011 Darko Kovacevic was on the scoresheet and Edwin Van Der Sar in goal when Juventus last went to Napoli in Serie A and won. It was a wet September 2000 night back then, a tie that the Old Lady triumphed in thanks to a trademark Alessandro Del Piero curler. In the four top-flight games at the San Paolo since, Napoli have won all four… The two teams meet at the Stadio San Paolo this evening in their re-arranged Week 11 tie which was originally postponed because of floods. Napoli boss Walter Mazzarri has the upper hand in his personal battle with Juventus counterpart Antonio Conte too. Mazzarri’s Napoli team beat Conte’s Atalanta side 2-0 in January 2010. Fabio Quagliarella and Michele Pazienza, who now both find themselves at Juve, scored the goals. There have been 66 meetings at the San Paolo in Serie A. Napoli have 21 wins, Juventus 20 and 25 draws. The Azzurri have 79 goals against the Old Lady’s 75. The aggregate score of the last four Napoli-Juve games at the San Paolo in Serie A is Napoli 11 Juventus 3! http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Moratti: 'Talks to end Calciopoli' Nov 29, 2011 Massimo Moratti insists the Calciopoli roundtable talks are “not to judge on the past, but to forget and move on. We won’t give Juventus any gifts.” The talks have been called for December 14 by the CONI (Italian Olympic Committee) with Inter, Juve, Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio discussing the fall-out from the Calciopoli scandal, consequent legal battles and the contentious 2005-06 Scudetto. “The past is in the past and has already been judged by others, while those who need to judge are still carrying on their work. The ‘peace talks’ are not for this,” insisted Inter President Moratti. “You can talk about the 2005-06 campaign like people do in a bar, but those are not tables where one decides if somebody had good or bad fortune, a certain attitude or behaviour. “This roundtable is only of use to say ‘alright, let’s forget we’ve forgotten everything and move on.’ This is what I want to say, above all. “It will be a meeting between us Presidents who are directly responsible for football teams. As far as I am concerned, the scope for the talks should be constructive. We all know each other, so it’s important to build through friendship and collaboration new projects for Italian football, which allow us to have better objectives than arguing every day.” Juventus have taken legal action to have the 2005-06 Scudetto stripped from Inter and returned to Turin. “I know it’s near Christmas, but I’m certainly not going to give Juventus this gift,” laughed Moratti. A few months ago Fiorentina patron Andrea Della Valle also called for roundtable talks, but Moratti feels the CONI’s involvement changes the situation. “I snubbed the meeting back then, but now I accept because I trust the scope of the talks has changed. At the time the invite was to a table where I was on trial, even if I was innocent. “I think this table does not have the same approach, especially as it was absurd and would still be absurd now. “The wiretaps involving Inter? The public prosecutor in Naples already replied by stating how unimportant they were.” New wiretaps from 2005-06 emerged in the civil trial into Calciopoli, as they were ignored and in many cases not even transcribed in the police investigation. Former Juventus director general Luciano Moggi used these calls to ‘prove’ his behaviour was widespread in Serie A and not part of a small cabal of clubs influencing referees. This thesis was rejected, as Moggi was found guilty of sporting fraud, although the FIGC Disciplinary Commission also ruled that Inter were guilty and would’ve been stripped of the 2005-06 title had it not gone beyond the statute of limitations.

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Del Piero: ‘Just like cup games’ Nov 29, 2011 Alessandro Del Piero has likened facing Napoli in midweek to returning to being involved in cup competition. Juventus are not in European competition this season and have so far generally had the benefit of six or seven-day breaks between League fixtures, beyond midweek League rounds that have affected every club. However, in facing Napoli in midweek just three days after playing Lazio at the weekend, the Bianconeri are experiencing something similar to a return to European Cup action, says Del Piero via his personal website. The 36-year-old also paid tribute to the strength of the Partenopei ahead of the match. “After the important victory in Rome against Lazio, before us now lies a new challenge that will be pretty tough…back to San Paolo, after the postponement of November 6, after a couple of days in Borghesiana, without being in Turin since Saturday’s game. “This week we play to a ‘cup rhythm’, that is, three games in a week, so there’s no time to enjoy the recent good results, but we only need to think about what will happen tomorrow.” The team opted to stay in Rome after their 1-0 win at the Olimpico on Saturday and held training at Borghesiana before later travelling down to Naples on Monday afternoon. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Napoli must avoid defeat against Juventus - Fabio Cannavaro The World Cup-winning captain believes that it is more important for the Naples outfit to pick up a positive result but hailed the Old Lady for their excellent start to the season. Nov 29, 2011 Former Juventus and Napoli defender Fabio Cannavaro is eagerly awaiting the Serie A clash between the two sides and feels his hometown club must get a result against the league leaders. The 38-year-old Neapolitan expects the Bianconeri to be thoroughly tested but also warns the Walter Mazzarri's side that this is is one match they must not lose. "Juventus are growing and so is the belief that they can win the Scudetto. Playing a game a week is an advantage for them," he told La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. "Napoli are not out of it, but are spending a lot of energy in the Champions League, but the biggest challenge is Juve. Historically, they are the great adversary of Napoli. More than an opponent, the fans make them feel like an enemy. "I like this Juve, but I think the San Paolo will be a very good test for them and if they can get a good result, especially after the Lazio match, I think they can really do great things. Napoli are currently sitting eighth in the league standings, nine points behind the Bianconeri who top the table, but Cannavaro is convinced that Antonio Conte's men will be tested. "It will be difficult for Juve because they are playing a great side. Napoli desperately need the points but the necessity for them is not to lose. "Juventus will miss Marchisio, while Maggio can prove to be very dynamic and hurt teams a lot. But I think Cavani will be decisive as he covers a lot of ground and is also deadly in front of goal. "Hamsik is another who can punish you as soon as you pay him a little less attention." Cannavaro began his career with Napoli, making 58 league appearances for the club before going on to play for a host of top sides including Parma, Inter, Juventus and Real Madrid. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Low scoring encounter forecast in Napoli - Juventus showdown Serie A leaders' unbeaten record faces a stiff test when then travel down south to Naples. Ed Malyon inspects the value markets on tonight's contest. Nov 29, 2011 Match Odds; Napoli 2.50, Draw 3.0, Juventus 3.0 (William Hill) Unbeaten and consistent - two things that will win you a title, and two things that have characterised Juventus' start to life under new coach Antonio Conte. They have neither the best defence in the league, nor the best attack, but their ability to put in performances week after week has left them top and with the opportunity to extend their lead to four points as they face the tough trip to Napoli. Beating the Neapolitans will not be an easy task, despite Walter Mazzarri's men sitting all the way down in eighth place. If we see the Napoli side that beat Manchester City last week in the Champions League, then they have every chance of pulling off a victory that would smash the Scudetto race wide open. The Napoli that only drew with Atalanta will struggle (although it's important not to underestimate how good this Atalanta side are) to break down the Old Lady. Juventus are 3.0 to win, which seems an okay value price given they're the only unbeaten side in the league, winning seven. Napoli have not won in their last three Serie A games as they struggle to balance their commitments across all competitions. In terms of goals bets, the return of Ezequiel Lavezzi to the line-up will strengthen Napoli's attack after he was rested at the weekend. Juventus may have won their last four on the bounce, but they have still conceded in three of their last five, suggesting that the in-form Edinson Cavani may be in with a chance. Despite being level on goals with Juve's Claudio Marchisio and Alessandro Matri this season, home advantage means that Cavani is favourite to open the scoring at 5.0 - something he has done with three of his five Serie A strikes this campaign. For an outside shout, Simone Pepe seems slightly overpriced for a winger at 9.00 to score first and 3.75 anytime. In terms of the over/under 2.5 goals market, we combine Napoli's home record with Juve's away record to find that in 10 games, just three have gone over the 2.5 goal mark. It's no surprise to see the unders poorly priced at 1.65 then, although considering five of those 10 matches have gone under the 1.5 goal mark, those expecting a tight affair can back under two goals at 3.0 in an excellent value punt. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Pirlo the most passes, Chiellini the best tackle rate - the key statistics that have taken Juventus to the top of Serie A The Bianconeri head for the San Paolo tonight hoping to extend their lead at the top of the table, but Goal.com have looked into their players' individual feats this term. Nov 29, 2011 Juventus' unbeaten start to the 2011-12 season has many Bianconeri fans starting to dream of a first official title in nine years, with Antonio Conte's men on track to become the latest group of players to write their names into the club's bulging history books. But who have been the individual stars of the campaign so far? Has there been a group of particularly effective players within the regular starters that have driven the team on? Goal.com decided to delve into the statistics of the season so far to see who have been the most influential men according to the numbers. Claudio Marchisio's ability to time his runs from midfield has come in particularly handy this term, with an increased amount of possession in forward positions allowing him to have a greater number of opportunities to make it count. Alessandro Matri heads the goals tally with him, having forced Mirko Vucinic out of the lone striker's position thanks to his ability to get into goalscoring positions with great regularity. Andrea Pirlo has unsurprisingly been one of the main architects for Juve, with Vucinic also chipping in with the final pass for a trio of goals. Matri has got himself into more scoring positions and had more efforts on target than any other player, with Vucinic and Marchisio close behind. It is perhaps surprising that Arturo Vidal has fired at goal as many as 23 times given that three of his 10 appearances for the club have come as a second-half substitute. He appears much lower down the list of shots on target, in stark contrast to Simone Pepe, who has found the target with eight of his 15 efforts. Andrea Pirlo's 20 shots have delivered no tangible reward in the goals column. Pirlo's status as Juve's top passer will come as a shock to nobody. The ex-AC Milan midfielder has found a team-mate from 740 of 866 attempted passes this season. He is followed by full-backs Giorgio Chiellini and Stephan Lichtsteiner, who have contributed both in turning possession-first play into meaningful attacks down the flanks. The accuracy chart is headed largely by defenders, regularly asked to play it safe to unmarked players around them, though Milos Krasic has an excellent conversion rate for an attacking player. Vidal has been incredibly busy in a defensive capacity for a player who has played the full 90 minutes in only four games this term. While his success rate is not high, he has been the most effective player in terms of tackles per minutes, coming up second on the overall tackles table and attempting more in total than any other Bianconeri player. Chiellini has turned in some excellent defensive performances, making more tackles than any of his team-mates, and he also boasts a better success rate than the rest of the squad. Pirlo and Matri lead the way in the Goal.com Player Ratings by some stretch, with the midfielder chalking up 10 scores over the 6.0 rating for an average performance in 11 games so far. Matri has also recorded only one 6.0 mark, leading to his continued presence in the frontline for Antonio Conte. It may come as a surprise to some to see that Chiellini trails the standings of the regular starters, with his performances at left-back failing to convince our match analysts. The Italy defender has failed to score 6.5 since the clash with Bologna in September, since when he has played almost exclusively away from the centre of the back line. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Edinson Cavani in doubt for Juventus clash with leg knock The 24-year-old striker is still nursing a fitness problem sustained at the weekend and could sit the match out, which would come as a heavy blow to the San Paolo outfit. Nov 29, 2011 Napoli have announced via their official website that Edinson Cavani is a last-minute worry for coach Walter Mazzarri ahead of Tuesday's clash with Juventus. The Uruguay international left Monday's practice session early after feeling pain in his right leg, a result of a knock picked up in Saturday's 1-1 draw against Atalanta. Cavani will be examined on Tuesday morning to learn whether he will be able to take part in the match, together with team-mate Gokhan Inler. The Swiss midfielder resumed training on Monday after overcoming a fitness problem, but his availability in the match will depend on a late examination. Despite being in doubt for the contest, both players have been included in Mazzarri's 19-man squad for the match against the Serie A leaders. Napoli lie in eighth position in the league standings, with 16 points from 11 matches, nine points fewer than Antonio Conte's side. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: P. Tagliavento Serie A Preview Antonio Conte's side aim to strengthen their lead at the league summit with three more points against the stuttering southern Italians, who have flattered to deceive domestically. Nov 28, 2011 PROBABLE LINE-UPS Napoli (3-4-2-1): De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica; Maggio, Inler, Gargano, Zuniga; Hamsik, Lavezzi; Cavani Juventus (4-3-3): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini; Vidal, Pirlo, Pazienza; Pepe, Matri, Vucinic Walter Mazzarri will be expecting a significant improvement in his side's performance levels after only collecting a disappointing 1-1 draw with Atalanta over the weekend. The result also came in stark contrast to their triumphant display midweek against Manchester City in the Champions League. However, the Napoli coach received particular criticism for dropping Ezequiel Lavezzi on Saturday, and the Argentine forward is set to be reinstated in place of Goran Pandev, who failed to impress in his colleague's place as one of the two players supporting Edinson Cavani. Meanwhile for Juventus, just one alteration is in the pipeline for Antonio Conte, as Claudio Marchisio is suspended for the trip to the San Paolo, and it is likely Michele Pazienza will be given the nod to face his former employers alongside Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo in midfield. DID YOU KNOW? • Napoli have won just one of their past six Serie A fixtures, with no league victory in their last four. • They have not achieved consecutive domestic victories all season. • However, they are unbeaten in their last four league meetings with Juventus, winning three. • Juventus remain the only side without a defeat in Serie A after 11 matches, including seven wins. • In addition, they have won their past four on the bounce, but have kept just one clean sheet in the sequence. • The away team has won just once in their past 11 meetings; a 3-2 triumph for Napoli during the 2009-10 campaign. Head to Head Italy - Serie A - May 22, 2011 - Juventus 2 - Napoli 2 Italy - Serie A - Jan 9, 2011 - Napoli 3 - Juventus 0 Italy - Serie A - Mar 25, 2010 - Napoli 3 - Juventus 1 Italy - Coppa Italia - Jan 13, 2010 - Juventus 3 - Napoli 0 Italy - Serie A - Oct 31, 2009 - Juventus 2 - Napoli 3 Last Five Matches Napoli Nov 26, 2011 - Atalanta 1 - Napoli 1 - Serie A Nov 22, 2011 - Napoli 2 - Man City 1 - CL Nov 19, 2011 - Napoli 0 - Lazio 0 - Serie A Nov 2, 2011 - Bayern Munich 3 - Napoli 2 - CL Oct 29, 2011 - Catania 2 - Napoli 1 - Serie A Juventus Nov 26, 2011 - Lazio 0 - Juventus 1 - Serie A Nov 20, 2011 - Juventus 3 - Palermo 0 - Serie A Oct 29, 2011 - Inter 1 - Juventus 2 - Serie A Oct 25, 2011 - Juventus 2 - Fiorentina 1 - Serie A Oct 22, 2011 - Juventus 2 - Genoa 2 - Serie A Players to Watch Edinson Cavani (Napoli) ‘El Matador’ has only one goal in his last six Serie A games and will need to get back on track if Walter Mazzarri’s side hope to stay hot on the trail of the Bianconeri at the top of the table.‘ Alessandro Matri (Juventus) The 27-year-old has been in fine form for the league leaders, scoring three goals in his last three games. The former Cagliari man will hope to add to his tally as Juve look to maintain their unbeaten start to the Serie A season. Prediction The San Paolo cauldron will be simmering on Tuesday but Juventus will do just enough to escape with a point and keep their unbeaten record intact. Editor's Prediction: Napoli 2 - 2 Juventus http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Juve name squad for Napoli Nov 28, 2011 Boss Antonio Conte has named a 23-man squad for Tuesday’s Serie A game at Napoli – but Claudio Marchisio is missing. The Italian international, five goals in 11 League games so far, will travel to Naples but he can’t play as he is suspended. The Juve youth product picked up a booking in the 1-0 win at Lazio on Saturday and subsequently misses out. It remains to be seen whether Michele Pazienza, formerly of Napoli, or Emanuele Giaccherini will be brought into the team. Juve squad: 1 Buffon, 3 Chiellini, 5 Pazienza, 7 Pepe, 9 Iaquinta, 10 Del Piero, 11 De Ceglie, 13 Manninger, 14 Vucinic, 15 Barzagli, 17 Elia, 18 Quagliarella, 19 Bonucci, 21 Pirlo, 22 Vidal, 24 Giaccherini, 26 Lichtsteiner, 27 Krasic, 28 Estigarribia, 30 Storari, 32 Matri, 33 Sorensen, 34 Marrone. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Lippi believed in Coach Conte Nov 28, 2011 Marcello Lippi is unsurprised that Antonio Conte has managed to rejuvenate the Old Lady of Italian football. Juventus currently lead the standings just months after Conte joined the Italian giants following a spell at Siena. “Antonio always had what was needed to become a Coach and, usually, central midfielders make the best Coaches,” Lippi, who bossed the player during their time together in Turin, told Radio Anch’io Sport. “I always thought that he could become a tactician for the way he applied himself in training. Gianluca Vialli could have done well too, but he quit too soon... “Conte has great temperament. He was a leader as a player and he’s transmitting what Juventus means to his players. “Juve are not just grit and determination, though, they have organisation on the field of play. This Juve is very strong and that has always been a characteristic.” Although Lippi believes that the Bianconeri could make a title bid this term, he respects some other teams in Serie A. “Milan are playing well and at a high quality, but this Juve is tough like mine was. Andrea Pirlo and Buffon are world class. “Milan are different. Alberto Aquilani and Antonio Nocerino have settled in well and raised the technical quality of the team. “I like Lazio as they are complete in all departments. “Udinese, meanwhile, have three stars – one on the pitch, another on the bench and one at the club.” http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Conte impressed by new Napoli Nov 28, 2011 Juventus boss Antonio Conte has applauded Napoli – tomorrow’s opponents – on their return to the higher echelons of the Italian game. Six years ago the Azzurri were amazingly in the third-tier, but they are now taking part in the Champions League. “I like to use Napoli as an example to follow because of what they have achieved over these years,” Conte said on Monday. “I expect a tough and vibrant game tomorrow. Perhaps our most difficult game of the season so far. “We’re playing a team who have done great things and demonstrating that you can get important results with a plan. “Walter Mazzarri and his players are the reasons why they’ve constructed something beautiful in just a few years. “We respect Napoli, they are getting results after years of hard work. We, meanwhile, have just four months behind us.” Juventus have made a fine start to the season and they are currently top of the table – one point clear of Milan and Udinese, but nine ahead of Napoli. “It would be too easy to use triumphant tones after what we have achieved so far,” Conte added as his side continue to ban the ‘Scudetto’ word. “We know how hard it is to do well though after disastrous seasons. “We’re cautious, but we are not hiding. I’ve never hidden in my life. There is no false modesty at Juventus. “Our season so far? It would be useless to draw any conclusions right now. You get votes at school at the end of the first semester. “Let’s wait until the half-way stage of this season, even if it only matters what you have achieved at the end of the campaign.” Conte, who took charge of the side following his summer move from Siena, also highlighted Milan as serious Scudetto rivals. “We all know Milan. They were seven points behind us after a slow start, but they’ve won six of their last seven – drawing only at Fiorentina. “This shows how strong they are and at what rhythm they can travel at. Perhaps a pace that is unmatchable. “We just look to be ourselves with the aim of building something important, with our own weapons and sacrifices. “There are comparisons with Juventus teams of the past, but we’ve only just sat down at the table with a pen in our hands. We have to write something first…” Returning to the San Paolo clash, Conte will have to find a replacement for the suspended Claudio Marchisio. “We know that Marchisio has specific characteristics. He’s a midfielder who is very good at breaking into attack from deep. “He defends and attacks, while he’s a very technical player. He’s quite a unique player in my squad. We’ll have to see. “We have a training session ahead and we have a number of options to consider.” Juventus are currently unbeaten in Serie A this term, but the tactician is expecting a real test after Saturday’s 1-0 win in Rome. “We know that it will be an important game, we are aware of Napoli’s strength and what the San Paolo can give to its team. We go into this after an important tie at Lazio, but we want to play our game. “If Napoli demonstrate that they are better and stronger than us then we will be the first to applaud them. This is football.” http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Hamsik demands ‘big game Napoli’ Nov 28, 2011 Marek Hamsik has warned Juventus that his Napoli side know how to topple Europe’s footballing giants ahead of Tuesday’s meeting. The two sides meet at the Stadio San Paolo tomorrow night in the re-arranged Week 11 tie which was postponed due to floods in the Naples area. “We’ll need to be at our best to beat Juventus – and not just myself, Ezequiel Lavezzi or Edinson Cavani,” he told the Corriere dello Sport. “We need a perfect team performance, one of those which we have put on in the past. And we hardly ever get it wrong against the big clubs…” Napoli are nine points behind the Old Lady, but the Azzurri are a team who have beaten Milan, Inter and Manchester City already this term. “We are a great side, the results that we have collected over recent years illustrate that and you can tell by the way teams play against us. “The game against Juventus, for the fans, is like a derby. They’ll support us as they always have. “We are Napoli and we can’t let Juventus run away from us – even if they haven’t surprised me. They made the right summer signings and Coach Antonio Conte is giving them a lot.” Juventus could go four points clear of second-placed Milan with a win this week after they went to Lazio on Saturday and collected a 1-0 result. “It’s true that everyone may be supporting us, otherwise Juventus’ lead at the top will get bigger,” Hamsik continued. “If they take the advantage then it will be complicated to catch them. We need to beat them and, on certain nights, Napoli don’t disappoint.” http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Pazienza in for Marchisio Nov 28, 2011 Michele Pazienza is set to make his first start for Juventus on Tuesday night against former cub Napoli. The 29-year-old joined the Old Lady in the summer from the Naples outfit once his contract at the San Paolo expired. Pazienza has so far made five substitute appearances for the Turin giants this season, totalling 57 minutes. However, Claudio Marchisio is suspended for tomorrow’s Serie A tie and Sky Sport Italia insist that Pazienza will be brought into the team. The central midfielder, formerly of Udinese, joined the Azzurri in January of 2008 from Fiorentina for just under €5m. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Antonio Conte braced for showdown with Scudetto rivals Napoli Juventus boss is expecting a tough test against a side he believes remains one of the strongest in Italy in spite of their recent stuttering form. Nov 28, 2011 Juventus coach Antonio Conte believes his side are going up against a genuine rival for the Serie A title when they lock horns with Napoli at the Stadio San Paolo on Tuesday. Napoli have already beaten AC Milan and Inter this season but their domestic form has been inconsistent and they now find themselves eighth in the table on the back of Saturday's 1-1 draw at Atalanta. However, ahead of his side's rearranged clash with the southern Italian outfit, Conte is adamant that Walter Mazzarri's men remain contenders for the Scudetto. “We have a tough test on Tuesday against Napoli,” he told reporters. “They are surely one of the favourites to win the Scudetto, both because of the quality of their squad and the quality of their football." Juventus arrive in Naples after a hard-fought win over Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday and Conte is thrilled with the way his side are performing at the moment. “We’re playing well, sticking to our game plan and picking up as many points as we can because bad patches will come, no matter how much I wish they wouldn’t," he said. “We find ourselves on top because of our hard work and I have to thank my guys for their great effort.” Juventus currently top the Serie A table, while Napoli are eight points adrift. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento‎ Walter Mazzarri: Juventus have one week to prepare for matches while we do not Napoli coach thinks the Turin club's freedom from European exertions has contributed to their rise to the top of the table. Nov 28, 2011 Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri believes that Juventus cover so much ground in matches because they benefit from a week's rest in between each game. The Turin club are not involved in European competition this season, but have taken Serie A by storm and currently top the table. And Mazzarri thinks that Juve's extended rest period has contributed to their good domestic form. "The Bianconeri have one week to prepare for their games, we do not. They run 1000 kilometres an hour," the 50-year-old told La giornalaccio rosa Dello Sport. However, Mazzarri feels that despite his team suffering from fatigue, they will be capable of getting their title bid back on track, starting with a win on Tuesday. "Despite the tiredness, I believe we can keep the tempo high because these games are typically highly charged. "Also, tomorrow is only the 12th matchday, so everything is still possible." Meanwhile, Ezequiel Lavezzi's girlfriend was the latest victim of a robbery in Naples. Yanina Screpante, an Argentine model, had a watch stolen from her at gunpoint, and went on to brand Naples 'Sh*t city' via her Twitter page. However, Mazzarri believes that crime is a universal problem, saying: "This is not about Naples, Milan or Uruguay. Crime is everywhere these days. We are all exposed to this situation unfortunately. "Lavezzi seemed calm. I hope this incident doesn't affect his performance." http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento‎ Marek Hamsik: 'We will have to be at our very best to beat Juventus' Napoli's attacking midfielder has stressed that the San Paolo side must put in a flawless performance in Tuesday's Serie A clash against the Old Lady in order to get a good result. Nov 28, 2011 Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik has insisted that the Partenopei will have to be on top of their game if they are to record a positive result in Tuesday's Serie A clash at home against Juventus. The match between the Champions League hopefuls and the Turin giants was previously postponed due to floods in the Naples area, and Hamsik is eagerly anticipating the re-scheduled match at the San Paolo. "We will have to be at our very best in order to beat Juventus. And I'm not just talking about myself, Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi," Hamsik was quoted as saying by Il Corriere dello Sport. "We need a perfect team performance. We have shown in the past what we can do as a team and we have to repeat that on Tuesday. We have already proven our worth against big teams in the past and want to do so again." Napoli currently sit eighth in the Serie A table with 16 points from 11 games, while Juventus lead the pack with 25 points from 11 games. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) - San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento‎ Alessandro Matri: Lavezzi is the Napoli player we must stop to maintain Serie A form The striker spoke about his upbringing, his career and his hopes for the future in an exclusive interview, as well as discussing Tuesday night's crunch clash at the San Paolo. Nov 28, 2011 Alessandro Matri has exclusively told Goal.com that Ezequiel Lavezzi is the man that Juventus must stop if they are to overcome Napoli at the San Paolo in Serie A on Tuesday. The striker gave up some time in the build-up to this week's crunch fixture to speak to us, and we covered a number of topics. Matri told Goal.com of the impact coach Antonio Conte has had at Vinovo since his arrival in the summer, and also admitted that it was only recently he felt ready for the move to a big club. Meanwhile, he spoke honestly about his hopes of playing abroad in the future, and has tipped Jose Mourinho to attain European glory in this season's Champions League. The full transcript of the interview can be read below. Goal.com: What is the secret behind the excellent start to the season for Juventus? Is it perhaps the fact that you don’t have any European commitments this year? Alessandro Matri:Well it certainly is a nice advantage. It allows you to focus on one goal, the league games. And even the physical level changes a lot, because you train differently. On training, let’s talk of Conte, a coach who is bringing Juventus back to the highest levels. How would you describe your new boss? Conte has only stopped playing recently and is still like a player, so he knows what he’s doing. He was full of fire as a player, and he’s the same as a coach (laughs). I would say that he is demanding, but he also gets significant results, so it works out well. Conte has clearly given you confidence. You are doing very well in front of goal, but what do you think you can improve upon? Well it would be wrong to say I never miss in front of goal, and I still think of the goal I could have scored for Italy in our last game [against Uruguay]. However, I would say that I must improve my control of the ball a lot and in my general play, which is very important in the system adopted here at Juventus by Conte. Matri has paid tribute to boss Conte's impact at Juventus Since you don’t have any commitments during the week, do you follow the Champions League or do you do something else? No, of course I follow it, naturally. Who do you think can win the trophy this season? It seems to me that Barcelona and Real Madrid have something more than the others. Personally, I would be happy if Jose Mourinho’s Madrid won it. Why? Mourinho has his weak points, does he not? I don’t deny that he’s a coach who intrigues me a lot. Sure, maybe he has some peculiar traits, but he has always carried teams forward, and has come to be criticised for everything. It would be nice if he were to do it with Real Madrid. And of the Italian teams, is there a side that can make it far in your opinion? I think Milan are the only ones equipped to do well, also because they have players with great experience. But Napoli are doing really well at the moment. Speaking of Napoli, tomorrow you will be playing at the San Paolo… It will be a pretty tough game, in a very difficult stadium, in view of the crowd that they have. I believe it will be a great game. They will be heavily loaded after what they did in the Champions League, but we are also doing well. Is there a particular Napoli player who is of concern? I would say Lavezzi, as when the ball is at his feet he scares you. He does not score much, but he is a constant danger. Some people ask why it has taken 26 years for Alessandro Matri to be noticed. Maybe if you were called Matrinho you would have been at the top of football for some time… No, I don’t think so. From my point of view I can say that at 22 I was not ready for certain things. If I spent two years in Serie C [with Prato and Lumezzane], it is for a reason. It means that at the time I was not ready. Now I am here. Do Italian players mature more slowly than foreigners? I’m talking about my case. Undoubtedly, we should give a bit more space to Italian players, this would be important in helping them mature and grow better. The Under-21s, in view of this, is becoming an important platform for many Italians who play in Serie B… True, and it is very good. Looking at the results, it seems to me that these young Italians are demonstrating that they have great quality. On the other hand, you are coming into Prandelli’s Italy. What emotions does this give you? Well I have only worn the blue shirt a little bit, but I have to say I love it. I hope to play even more for the Nazionale and, above all, I hope to play in June, at Euro 2012. It is a great objective. Juventus, Italy… But have you ever thought about playing abroad? Look, the idea of playing abroad – one day in the distance – fascinates me, but not only on a footballing level. Truly as a life experience. I would say that La Liga and the Premier League are the competitions that fascinate me the most. Given the climate of Turin, Manchester would be a perfect fit…! Yes, that’s true. I never thought of that! However, I must add that, despite the criticism of it, I still like Italian football a lot and so first, I want to enjoy myself in Serie A, then we will see. Can you explain to us the gesture you make whenever you score a goal? I cannot reveal anything. It is a celebration made my myself and Andrea Lazzarri in our time together at Cagliari. Let’s talk about you off the field. What are you like? I am very, very lazy. I like to hang with my friends or with my girlfriend, but without doing anything special. Again, I am very lazy. So you are not addicted to video games like Giorgio Chiellini? No, I play sometimes, but I wouldn’t say that. I like going to the cinema, and in the summer I play tennis. As a child you had a passion for cycling. And now? It is too hard! It is better to go on a scooter! (laughs). Last question. You started with the hope of reaching the Champions League. What is the dream now? The Scudetto? Ah, as you say, it is the dream… but it’s better not to say. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Juventus can win the Scudetto - Paolo Montero The Uruguayan former defender is confident that the Old Lady have what it takes to win Serie A under the stewardship of Antonio Conte, and he also spoke about Del Piero. Nov 28, 2011 Former Juventus defender Paolo Montero is optimistic that the club, with Antonio Conte at the helm, can win Serie A this season. After sharing a dressing room with the current Bianconeri boss for eight years, the Uruguayan thinks Conte has the skill, determination and leadership to bring a 28th title to the Juventus Stadium. "I was his companion for many years, so I know that Antonio is determined and a leader," he told Tuttosport. "He has given part of his character to this Juventus and made it more lively. That's why I think the goal of the Scudetto can be reached." Montero also took time to give his thoughts on another former team-mate, Alessandro Del Piero, who is in his last season with the Old Lady. "It is strange to think about Juventus without Del Piero, but things in life change. I heard he wants to keep on playing, so I'm sure he will make the right choice, as always." Montero made over 200 appearances during his nine years with Juventus, scoring a solitary goal in Serie A.