Napoli's unbeaten run at the San Paolo stadium will be put to the test when they host a desperate Lazio on Sunday. The Partenopei go into their home encounter in buoyant mood and for good reason.
The Naples-based outfit are still undefeated under boss Walter Mazzarri and lie 10th in the standings, just three points adrift of a Champions League spot. Wins against Fiorentina and Juventus and a 2-2 draw against AC Milan before the international break handed Napoli a big boost in confidence.
But midfielder Michele Pazienza knows his team still have a lot of work to do to finish in the top six this season.
Napoli host an under-performing Lazio side who are determined to return to winning ways in order to lift themselves out of danger. And Pazienza has warned his team-mates not to underestimate tomorrow's opponents.
Napoli have every reason to be wary, considering their last home win over Lazio in the top flight came in 1996. Lazio did show an improvement in their 2-1 loss to AC Milan in the last round but that game again highlighted their main problem this season.
A lack of goals has hindered Lazio, who have struck just three times in their last six games. Lazio fans will be desperate for Mauro Zarate to increase his goal tally with the Argentinian forward having found the back of the net just three times this season. Zarate is set to play in support of Tommaso Rocchi and Julio Cruz up front.
The visitors are still without the injured Ousmane Dabo, Albano Bizzarri, Sebastiano Siviglia, Pasquale Foggia and Francelino Matuzalem. The hosts will be without defender Salvatore Aronica, who serves a one-match ban, and injured defender Fernando Santacroce.
REVIEW: