Napoli need to get back to winning ways, but face a very difficult trip to Atalanta” data-scaytid=”1″>Atalanta without Gonzalo Higuain.
This traditionally ill-tempered clash kicks off in Bergamo at 14.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.
Napoli need to get back to winning ways, but face a very difficult trip to Atalanta without Gonzalo Higuain.
This traditionally ill-tempered clash kicks off in Bergamo at 14.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.
Rafa Benitez’s men have been held to two consecutive Serie A stalemates and want to keep their distance from fourth-placed Fiorentina, who lost 1-0 in Cagliari yesterday.
Napoli are still unbeaten in eight, but were given a real scare when these sides met for the Coppa Italia back on January 15.
Bergamo is also a notoriously tough place for the Partenopei, who have only won one of their last 10 visits in 1995-96 and 2009-10.
Valon Behrami, Juan Camilo Zuniga and Giandomenico Mesto miss out, while Lorenzo Insigne is benched after his angry reaction to fan jeers last week.
Higuain is rested in favour of Duvan Zapata, supported by Goran Pandev, Dries Mertens and Jose Callejon.
Jorginho is on the bench following his January transfer from Verona, as Blerim Dzemaili partners Gokhan Inler.
The reason behind these decisions may well be yellow cards, as Higuain, Jorginho, Raul Albiol, Callejon, Pandev and Inler are all at risk for suspension next week against Milan.
Atalanta are still livid after a hugely controversial 1-0 defeat to Torino, which was decided by a ridiculous penalty award.
Davide Brivio and Carlos Carmona are suspended, while Marko Livaja, Gianpaolo Bellini and Lionel Scaloni are injured.
Ex-Napoli midfielder Luca Cigarini is only fit for the bench after suffering from flu.
German Denis, another former Napoli man, therefore partners Maxi Moralez with Giacomo Bonaventura on the left.
Atalanta: Consigli; Benalouane, Stendardo, Yepes, Del Grosso; Raimondi, Migliaccio, Baselli, Bonaventura; Moralez, Denis
Napoli: Reina; Maggio, Fernandez, Albiol, Reveillere; Inler, Dzemaili; Mertens, Pandev, Callejon; Zapata