jeudi 14 avril 2011

PREVIEW: Bombers Di Natale and Cavani vie for top-scorer crown

Napoli host Udinese on Sunday in a Serie A showdown of top scorers Antonio Di Natale and Edinson Cavani.Uruguayan Cavani is back from suspension to lead Napoli in their chase of leaders AC Milan with six games left.


A crowd of about 60,000 hope to see Cavani make up a one-goal deficit on the Udinese captain Di Natale, who tops the scorers' table on 26 goals from 32 games.

After a 2-0 defeat of Bologna, with about 15,000 fans rooting for Napoli 600 kilometres away from home, captain Paolo Cannavaro celebrated that fourth straight win by saying that "we are a real team, with excellent players, a good group hungry for success.

"Milan are used to struggle and win. We have our will to surprise. (Against Udinese) it will be a hard test. They have the characteristics to cause us trouble."

Udinese last weekend suffered a second straight defeat, at Roma, but remained in contention for the fourth available Champions League berth, currently occupied by Lazio.

"If we play well, we will have other chances," coach Francesco Guidolin said. "The best among us, Lazio, Roma and Juventus will secure fourth place.

"For a long time, Udinese has shown to be even or even better than these sides. I only wish myself to have all my players in good health."

In Naples, however, Guidolin is to miss Chilean Alexis Sanchez, the fast attacking partner of Di Natale. Argentine German Denis is set to take Sanchez' place.

Sweden bomber Zlatan Ibrahimovic, meanwhile, will have no chance to increase his 14-goal tally as he is suspended when Milan welcome struggling Sampdoria late Saturday with the aim of retaining their three-point advantage.

The frontrunners have appealed against his three-game ban, and will still be quite threatening with the Brazilian partnership of Pato, also on 14, and Robinho.

City rivals Inter Milan also play late Saturday, looking to get over their mid-week elimination from the Champions League they won last year.

Schalke beat them 2-1 in Germany after a 5-2 first-leg drubbing, leaving the Serie A champions to vie for the scudetto, five points from Milan, and the Italian Cup they also secured in 2010.

Lazio look to retain fourth place when they visit Catania on Sunday while crosstown rivals Roma, four points from the Champions League zone, host Palermo Saturday. Juventus are at Fiorentina on Sunday.

Chievo and Bologna face off at mid-table, Lecce welcome Cagliari and Genoa host Brescia, struggling in the three-team drop zone with Cesena, who take on bottom side Bari.

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