non-Preview T.F.D vs Napoliean

By: Mostafa | January 17th, 2009

Warning! Lazy post!
Lot’s of Copy paste ahead! No Pictures! Proceed at own risk!

1- Preveiw

Rock-bottom Chievo entertain Napoli at the Stadio Bentegodi on Sunday afternoon after picking up a vital point at Bologna last weekend, while the Vesuviani collected their eighth home win of the season by overcoming Catania and leapfrogged Fiorentina into fourth place in the Serie A table.

HELP!
The Flying Donkeys finally brought to an end their losing streak last Sunday as Domenico Di Carlo’s men notched up a 1-1 draw away to Bologna.

Sergio Pellissier gave the Clivensi the lead at the Stadio Dall’Ara, but Marco Di Vaio soon equalized from the spot to crush their dreams of achieving a third league victory of the campaign.

Despite hiring Di Carlo to replace Giuseppe Iachini last November, the Veronesi have continued to stutter and have a mountain to climb if they are to avoid a swift return to the Second Division.

Serie A will reach its midway point next weekend and, should Chievo fail to get a result against Napoli, they will start the second part of the tournament on 10 points, just like Cagliari did last term.

The Isolani brought in coach Davide Ballardini after Christmas and amazingly managed to pull off a great escape at the end of the tournament, but Chievo don’t seem gifted with the same strength in depth that the current Palermo boss had at his disposal and don’t have the financial muscle to adequately bolster their squad in the transfer window.

This will be the first ever meeting between Chievo and Napoli in the top flight, however, the Azzurri have always come out on top at the Bentegodi in Serie B, winning 2-0 in 1998 and 2-1 in 2000.

Cool.

Divine Intervention:
Napoli moved back into the Champions League places last weekend by defeating a plucky Catania side at the San Paolo to further extend their unbeaten home run.

Edi Reja’s men have one of the best records in Europe in front of their own fans. Only Cagliari have managed to escape the Fuorigrotta ground unharmed, with Daniele Conti netting an equalizer deep into injury time last November.

Not even the juggernaut Inter have performed as well at home so far, but it’s a completely different kind of music away from the Vesuvius…

After a very encouraging start on their travels, in which they amassed two wins, two draws and a single defeat, the Partenopei have been unable to gather a single point on the road and have suffered four defeats on the bounce; the lowest point being an apathetic performance away to Torino before the Christmas break.

The race for the all-important fourth place is heating up. Roma are quickly making up for lost ground, while Genoa, Fiorentina and Lazio are all crammed within a four-point radius. Napoli can ill afford to come away empty-handed from Verona on Sunday if they are to keep alive their dreams of returning to Europe’s premier club competition after 18 years.

FORM GUIDE

Chievo Verona
11 January (Serie A): Bologna 1-1 Chievo
21 December (Serie A): Chievo 0-1 Genoa
14 December (Serie A): Inter 4-2 Chievo
6 December (Serie A): Chievo 0-1 Roma
30 November (Serie A): Udinese 0-1 Chievo

Napoli
11 January (Serie A): Napoli 1-0 Catania
21 December (Serie A): Torino 1-0 Napoli
13 December (Serie A): Napoli 3-0 Lecce
7 December (Serie A): Napoli 2-0 Siena
30 November (Serie A): Inter 2-1 Napoli

Last season: Not played

TEAM NEWS

Chievo Verona
Defender Andrea Mantovani is suspended but Di Carlo will welcome back Vincenzo Italiano, Simone Bentivoglio and Antonio Langella, as the trio sat out bans last weekend.

Fabio Moro, Luca Rigoni and Kerlon have been training on their own this week and are doubtful, as is Davide Mandelli who has already missed the trip to Bologna with a muscular problem.

Possible Staring XI: Sorrentino; Moro, Morero, Yepes, Scardina; Luciano, Italiano, Bentivoglio, Marcolini; Esposito, Pellissier.

Napoli
Stopper Fabiano Santacroce is expected to reclaim his place in the three-man back-line after sitting out last Sunday because of a ban. Midfielder Daniele Mannini has recovered from the flu and should be available.

Uruguayan Marcelo Zalayeta also pulled out of the game against Catania with knee problems, but the ex-Juventus man will be at Reja’s disposal for the trip to Veneto.

Possible Staring XI: Iezzo; Cannavaro, Santacroce, Contini; Maggio, Blasi, Gargano, Hamsik, Mannini; Lavezzi, Denis.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Chievo Verona

Mauro Esposito is a striker who has been repeatedly linked with a move to Napoli in recent seasons, but he opted to join Roma in 2007 and the Azzuri did not revive their interest in him last summer. He has yet to open his account this term and might have a point to prove on Sunday…

Napoli

Argentine star Ezequiel Lavezzi was once again pivotal last Sunday, as he provided the assist for Christian Maggio’s winner against Catania, despite coming down with the flu during the previous week. ‘El Pocho’ skipped the dismal away defeat at the hands of Torino before Christmas and the Azzurri are confident his presence will help the side achieve a positive result away from the San Paolo after four straight defeats.

PREDICTION

Chievo have only won a single game at the Bentegodi so far and will hope to bag the full points to start climbing up the table. Napoli have struggled on their travels of late, but this will be a great opportunity to improve their away record and preserve the fourth place in the standings, before a crunch game with Roma.

Chievo Verona 1-2 Napoli
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2- Pellisier on 2009;

Sergio Pellissier spoke fondly of the point Chievo Verona obtained against Bologna, but at the same time he showed regrets that they were unable to claim a much-needed victory.

Now Pellissier wants to look ahead as the Gialloblu prepare to host Napoli this weekend in the 19th matchday of the Italian top flight.

“The draw obtained at Bologna makes us smile because we have started the new year well,” explained the Flying Donkey’s forward to Radio Kiss Kiss. “However, we are disappointed that we did not win.

“On Sunday we shall face Napoli, a very strong team whom I did not expect that they could be so high up in the standings. We shall try to do our best against a well-prepared team who are in great condition.

“We do have some difficulties, that’s evident: we are not going through a good moment.”

Chievo are currently in bottom position, with just 10 points from 18 games played, and are six points away from the survival zone.
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3- What ever hapened to our mercato?

<blockquotPaolo Fabbri, one of the two agents of Stephen Makinwa, is hoping that Lazio president Claudio Lotito accepts the offer made by his Chievo Verona counterpart, Luca Campedelli.

However, in the end Fabbri believes that the deal will go through and Makinwa will start playing for the Flying Donkeys this month, to help them out of the bottom position in the Italian top-flight.

“Chievo want the player, but I don’t know if they are interested in other players,” explained Fabbri.

“My partner [Silvano] Martina and myself are simple spectators, but if you want a prediction, I think that in the end the deal will be made.

“Lotito is not in a hurry, because he is trying to get the best out of this sale. However, I wouldn’t want that he waits for too long and Campedelli redirects his attention on another striker.”

The 25-year-old player has been at Lazio since 2006, bar half a season on loan at Reggina in 2008, but has never really impressed, with just three goals to show in just over 40 games played in Serie A.

And

e>Lazio’s Stephen Makinwa has constantly been linked with a move to Chievo during the winter transfer window and it appears that deal may finally go through, but involving two more players.

“The player wants to go to Chievo,” said his agent, “but I don’t know if the deal depends on other players from Lazio.”

Indeed, in the last few hours, the talks to bring Makinwa to the Flying Donkeys have expanded in scope, bringing two more strikers into the mix.

It appears the transaction may also include Lazio striker Simone Inzaghi as well as Chievo hitman Erjon Bogdani moving in the opposite direction.

Inzaghi’s contract expires this summer, so president Claudio Lotito will be keen to offload the striker, rather than lose him for nothing at season’s end.

Makinwa and Inzaghi have found time on the pitch hard to come by this season as the attacking trident of Tommaso Rocchi, Goran Pandev, and Mauro Zarate has been in great form. Meanwhile, Bogdani has been in and out of the line-up for Chievo this season.

Overall, these three players will be looking to find an environment where they can be more productive as combined they have made 19 league appearances and scored just once during the 2008/09 campaign.

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4/5 – Notes on napoli game:

Chievo Verona director of sports Giovanni Sartori is looking forward to this weekend’s clash against Napoli.

However, Sartori is disappointed that the Partenopei fans will not be allowed to travel to Verona for this encounter.

“On Sunday against Napoli it will be a special game, even though for us it will be more important to do well against direct competitors like Reggina and Lecce, in which I think Chievo will play its decisive survival chances,” declared the Gialloblu’s director to Radio Kiss Kiss.

“I regret the fact that on Sunday there will not be Napoli fans at Verona: the Chievo fans have always been correct and nothing would have happened.

“What worries most from the Azzurri? Chievo… Jokes apart, the entire Napoli was built very well by [general director] Pierpaolo Marino and [Edoardo] Reja is coaching a great team.”

Chievo cannot afford to lose as they are currently in bottom place with 10 points from 18 games played, six points away from the survival zone.

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Lastly:
Chievo Verona midfielder Giampiero Pinzi knows that, with little over half of the Serie A season still to played, anything is possible.

The Gialloblu’s position looks precarious but, with so many points still up for grabs, they can succeed in climbing up the league table into a position that would see them safe.

“I believe that we can make it,” declared the former Udinese player, “Even though I realise that it will not be easy.

“The bad situation that we are in means that we must always give our best. However, we must prove that we do not deserve to be the bottom club in the league standings.

“We’re not lacking in will… Results on the pitch say that Chievo are the worst team in Serie A but I know the real abilities of my team-mates and this is a squad that can achieve much more.”

The Flying Donkeys will have to improve soon in order to come out of the 20th and last place in the standings. They have won only 10 points from 18 games played.
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Wow i didn’t know i could be this lazy, hmm i bet no one will read it anyway.
What the heck C’est la vie!
And just to keep the sense on humor, here’s a video reccomended by Uncle Fester!