The Giallorossi will look to overturn their drowning hopes of Champions League qualification, with a powerful show against a Napoli desperate for victory.
AS Roma (7) will host http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Napoli-c40003 (4) in matchday 35 encounter of the 2011/12 Serie A on Saturday, April 28th at 18:45 GMT.
The Giallorossi suffered two consecutive defeats against Juventus and Fiorentina from their last two matches, while the Azzurri come into the game on the back of two consecutive triumphs over Lecce and Novara.
The last meeting of the two teams in Serie A, ended in a 3-1 victory for AS Roma, earlier this season.
AS Roma
Luis Enrique’s men have struggled with consistency throughout the season. However, there is nothing to doubt the marvellous quality of the Giallorossi side that have show signs of magic from time to time throughout the season,
despite exhibiting equally ugly displays on certain instances.
The match will be a desperate struggle for air for the side that were once heading steadily for the final UEFA Champions League qualification spot in the league. Enrique will like to believe that the battle is still alive for them
but with just four matches to go in the season, they have but an outside chance of capturing the third position.
However, things may look a little too dark for the club than they actually are. Their last two matches, although crushing defeats, came at the hands of two distinctly special sides. Juventus, the only unbeaten and probably the
strongest team of the league are an Italian juggernaut at the moment. There second defeat came at the hands of Fiorentina, whose new found spirit has seen the team reach an entirely new level of game, and also saw them conquer Champions AC Milan, recently.
They may have lost their last two matches, but only a fool will perceive the Maggica to be an easily gullible side. In reality, AS Roma is now a quality side cornered in the league, and they will go to extraordinary lengths to conquer the visiting Azzurri.
Napoli
The Partenopei are just one point behind the third-placed http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786. They have already announced their
unmatched hunger for the coveted final Champions League qualification spot, and will look to take the game to the Giallorossi in order to overtake the capital club, to establish their camp at the third place.
However, the task is easier said than done. The Azzurri are famed for their counter attacking football, and they come against a team whose aggressive style of play could prove to be just the perfect Casanova for the visitor’s not-so-steady
defence.
Napoli have shown a lot of promise in their last few matches, and seem to be getting into their magic touch, that has left many in awe of their free flowing ability with the ball. The Partenopei will start the match as favourites,
but will need to understand that they have no space for complacency against the Giallorossi. The Azzurri may have won their last two matches while Roma lost theirs, but a quick look at the oppositions for both of them is enough to evidence that there is not
much to separate between the two teams.
Team News
AS Roma
Luis Enrique is widely being linked with a move to Barcelona if their current manager Pep Guardiola decides to part company with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Barcelona-c38604, at the end of the season. To make the situation even worse for the Giallorossi, the manager
will be missing the services of suspended http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Bogdan-Lobont-c7753 and Maarten, to further diminish the strength of the Maggica squad.
Expected Starting Line-up: Curci, Rosi, Kjaer, Heinze, Taddei, Pjanic, Greco, Gago, Totti, Borini, Bojan.
Napoli
Walter Mazzarri will be without Campagnaro in the crucial game, however, the manager will be delighted to welcome http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ezequiel-Lavezzi-c13073 back into the squad. The Striker may not start the match, but will add to the bench strength of
Napoli to be used in the time of need.
Expected starting Line-up: De Sanctis, Fernandez, Cannavaro, Aronica, Maggio, Inler, Gargano, Dzemaili, Zuniga, Hamsik, Cavani.
Players to Watch
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Fabio-Borini-c13163 (AS Roma)
The Italian has proven his value to the team as a dangerous striker. The aggressor scored consecutively in four games for the Giallorossi, but have been out of the touch ever since. Now, with some of the vital members of the Roma
attack missing from the match due to injury, the whole team will look to the talented star to lead the Maggica attack, and find his scoring form to rescue the team against a difficult opposition at a crucial time. The crucial match has the potential to make
heroes, and Borini is the perfect candidate to win AS http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Roma-c31603 hearts with a stunning performance in the valued game.
Edison Cavani (Napoli)
The Uruguayan has led the attack of the Partenopei throughout the season. Napoli have a famed counter attacking instinct, and the striker has been the prime finisher of the signature moves of the Partenopei. His talent has attracted
interest from all over Europe, and the team will place a lot of responsibility on the Golden Boot contender to clinch them another crucial victory, with a timely display of his sublime skills.
Predictions
The match can easily be labelled the finest of all the contests left in the season. Both the teams are equally matched, and similarly famed for their distinct brands of attacking football. With Napoli going strong and AS Roma playing
at home, the match is one of the most difficult ties of the league to predict. The last five matches have seen each side take two wins, with one ending in a stalemate. One thing is certain that the match will be a splendid show of quality football, and an
absolute feast for the football enthusiasts. However, with their guns starting to blaze just like old times, Napoli is predicted to get the better of their opponents, but only just.
Prediction: 3-2 to the Azzurri.
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