NAPLES, BEAT CHELSEA TO KEEP DREAMING! THE ENGLISH ARE AT AN HISTORIC LOW: VILLAS BOAS PLAYING THE BENCH. MAZZARRI CHARGE THE SAN PAOLO: "I WANT THE USUAL BOLGIA".
The appointment with history has arrived. From now on, Napoli can only improve their progress, but whatever happens, it will be a success. Of course, the current Chelsea is scarier for the name than for anything else, given that Andrè Villas-Boas's team is going through a moment of very black crisis. After 25 Premier League games, England have picked up just 43 points, 17 fewer than leaders Manchester City. The numbers explain a lot of the Blues crisis, but not everything: the real problem is in fact called Villas-Boas. Yes, just him, the baby prodigy (he's only 33 years old) capable of winning four titles with Porto last season, costing Abramovich 15 million in the price tag, as well as a long and lucrative contract.
But the Portuguese has against the senators of the locker room: according to the English press in fact, the various Terry, Lampard, Drogba would not be at all happy with the methods of AVB, as it has been nicknamed across the Channel. It is rumored that these players continue to exchange text messages with Josè Mourinho, regretted in London just like in Milan. In presenting the San Paolo challenge, the tabloids even bothered Goethe: "See Naples and then die" wrote the Daily Mail in large letters and the photo on the front page, ça va sans dire, was that of the Portuguese. The Mirror did better, inventing an all-British pun: Villas Boas became “Villas GOas”, and that “go” needs no translation. In this tragicomic climate (the "The Sun" even got to own "AVB RIP" with a coffin on the cover), many believe that Napoli are even favourites, but Mazzarri doesn't think so: “Now we are happy to be here to play two matches against a Chelsea who have played more than a hundred games in the Champions League and this says a lot. It seems strange to me that we are the favourites. We have to think about doing our best, as we have always done in this situation".
The Napoli coach will not be on the bench tonight. UEFA has decided to confirm the disqualification (two days) inflicted on him after the expulsion of Vila-Real, when Mazzarri yanked a Spanish player who was a little too slow in putting the ball back into play. "Frustalupi (his deputy, ed.) is perhaps better than me in tactical reading of the match - joked the Tuscan coach - but above all, we prepare the matches beforehand...". In any case, the players will go on the field and Napoli, Campagnaro aside (but the Argentine has been called up and should grit his teeth), presents itself with the best formation. Chelsea, on the other hand, have several problems, above all the absence of captain Terry, but Villas-Boas seems oriented to play for the bench with the remaining old guard (i.e. Lampard and Drogba). The Azzurri will also have one more ally, that "San Paolo" which once again will be sold out (1.300 British), resulting in a record collection (over 3 million euros!). It was precisely at his stadium that Mazzarri appealed at the press conference: “When these matches are held, our crowd is the best in Europe. I expect the usual bedlam”. Go Naples, history awaits you!
POSSIBLE FORMATIONS
Naples (3-4-2-1): De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica; May, Gargano, Inler, Zuniga; Hamsik, Lavezzi; Cavani. Trainer: Walter Mazzarri (disqualified). On the bench: Rosati, Grava, Britos, Dzemaili, Dossena, Pandev, Lucarelli.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, David Luiz, Cole; Ramires, Lampard, Meireles; Mata, Drogba, Sturridge. Trainer: Andre Villas-Boas. On the bench: Hilario, Bosingwa, Mikel, Essien, Malouda, Kalou, Torres.
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain).
Assistants: Roberto Alfonso Fernandez – Juan Carlos Yuste Jimenez.
Fourth official: Fernando Teixeira Vitenes.
Goal referees: David Fernandez Borbalan – Carlos Clos Gomez.
