Tag: Napoli

NAPOLI WILL APPEAL

Napoli have decided to appeal against the ban given to the former Liverpool defender Andrea Dossena following the Supercoppa Italiana loss to Juventus. Napoli were playing against Juventus for the second time in the season and were hoping to repeat the victory they achieved a few weeks ago. However, Napoli were defeated in the final of this competition. More importantly, the club will now have to face the suspension of the defender Andrea Dossena and Goran Pandev. Both these players are extremely influential to the club in terms of the way they play and Walter Materazzi has said that the club will be appealing against the decision to ban the players.

It has been reported that both these players had a verbal argument with the referee, which has resulted in the ban after careful consideration by a committee. It is also thought that Andrea Dossena tried to intimidate the referee with gestures. Now, the club has announced that they feel that the ban is extremely and they will be appealing against the decision. Napoli have made a great start to the season after winning the opening two matches. They now sit top of the table alongside Juventus, who was expected to be one of the challenges for the title this season.

“This morning I spoke to president Aurelio De Laurentiis, who is very disappointed and irritated by the harsh decisions of the disciplinary commission. We have requested a copy of the referee’s report so that we can lodge an appeal to evaluate the individual situations of those who have been banned,” said the club lawyer Mattia Grassani to Sky Sport 24. Napoli managed to beat Juventus 2-0 in the Coppa Italia final last season. However, they were defeated 4-2 by the Italian Serie A Champions in this match.

DOSSENA KEEN ON AC MOVE

The former Liverpool defender Andrea Dossena could be playing for AC Milan after his agent admitted that the 2007 Champions League winners are interested in securing his services after allowing a number of high-profile names to depart from the club in the summer. A number of veteran players like Gattuso and Nesta have left the club after their contract expired. This coupled with the exit of players like Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic has meant that there is a major rebuilding job on the cards of AC Milan. It seems that they have identified the former Liverpool defender Andrea Dossena as a potential player who can represent the club over the next few years.

The player is currently playing for Napoli in the Italian Serie A and would be a great value for money signing for the club. He has only two seasons left on his current contract, which would mean that Dossena is not likely to cost a lot of money. It is the ideal situation for AC Milan given that they are suffering from huge financial problems in recent seasons. Andrea Dossena’s agent has claimed that there is a real possibility that his client could be playing at the San Siro this season.

“I spoke to Napoli, and they have had a chat with Milan, but Dossena’s contract lasts until 2014 so it is up to them. If Napoli decide against keeping him then a new scenario will open, especially considering we are talking about an experienced player who plays in the delicate position of left-back – and players of his type are difficult to find in this market,” said Andrea Dossena’s agent in an interview given to the Sky Sport 24. Massimiliano Allegri has identified Dossena as the first transfer target for the club in the attempt to bring back the title from Juventus.

NAPOLI TAKE STEP FORWARDS

Italian club Napoli took a major step towards securing the third spot in the Italian Serie A after a convincing 2-0 win over Palermo in the midweek round of matches. Napoli are currently in a battle with the likes of Lazio, Udinese, Inter Milan, and – to a certain extent – Roma. They were taking on the relegation threatened Palermo in the midweek round of matches knowing that a win could take them into the third position. This is the final spot for getting the Champions League next season in Italy. Udinese managed to overcome Lazio a few days earlier with a 2-0 victory. Napoli achieved the same against Palermo to put them in the third spot.

Napoli had a wonderful Champions League campaign this season and almost eliminated the finalists Chelsea from the competition. However, the Champions League distraction has provided the opportunity for other clubs to enter into the race for the third position, but Napoli have finally overcome the demons of the Champions League exit by coming into form at just the right stage in the season. Only two matches remaining the Italian Serie A this season and Napoli are the favourites to qualify for the Champions League next season via the automatic spot.

Edison Cavani and Marek Hamsik once again proved to be the difference for Napoli, as they scored two goals to get three points against a team threatened against relegation. “We’re better now, we’ve got better concentration, we’ve rediscovered certain values. We can’t afford many mistakes now or we’ll compromise what we’ve built these last few weeks,” Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri said after the match. It is now in Napoli’s hands to finish in the third position. Walter Mazzarri has said that he does not want any slipups from his club at this stage of the season.