Napoli will be looking to boost their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League when they welcome AC Milan to the Stadio San Paolo on Sunday evening.
The Azzurri need a win to keep the pressure on their rivals for a top-three spot, while Milan are in crisis and heading for another season without European football altogether.
Napoli
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Napoli had gone into their match against Empoli on Thursday evening after winning their three previous games in the league to close the gap on Roma and Lazio in the race for the final Champions League spot.
However, their defensive frailties returned to haunt them, as they suffered a shock 4-2 defeat at the Stadio Carlo Castellani to seriously damage their hopes of getting into the top three.
They are now five points behind Roma in the Serie A table and cannot afford to drop any more points in their remaining five games of the season.
Two of those fixtures are against already-relegated Parma and struggling Cesena, but they will then travel to champions Juventus in their penultimate game of the season, ahead of a final-day clash against Lazio.
That defeat at Empoli was a damaging blow after a period in which they seemed to have returned to form and came just days after a thumping 4-2 win against Sampdoria, in which they played some of their best attacking football of the season.
As has been the case so often this campaign, their problems at the back have cost them dearly and they have conceded 43 goals in the league, keeping just eight clean sheets, which is as many as bottom-of-the-table Parma.
It now seems that their only way to get into the Champions League next season is to win the Europa League, and they will play the first leg of their semi-final against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in Naples next Thursday.
Recent form in Serie A: DLWWWL
Recent form (all competitions): WWWDWL
AC Milan
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A disappointing season for AC Milan sunk to a new low on Wednesday evening when they fell to a humiliating 3-1 defeat at home to Genoa.
They produced another abject defensive performance and offered very little in attack and it was no surprise that they were booed off by the supporters at San Siro when the final whistle was blown.
There were estimated to be just 15,000 people in attendance at the stadium and at one point thousands of those who did show up spelled out the words enough in a human protest banner in the stands.
It only served to heighten the intense speculation that Filippo Inzaghi has been coming under in recent months, but he has insisted that he will not resign from his position, although subsequent reports have indicated that Cristian Brocchi is being lined up to replace him.
The immediate focus for Inzaghi will be making sure that Milan can secure a finish in the top half of the table and prevent the club from achieving their worst position in the league for nearly 20 years.
Recent form: WWDDLL
Team News
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Napoli will have to make do without Jonathan de Guzman, Ivan Strinic and Juan Zuniga through injury, while long-term absentee Michu is still out.
With their Europa League match against Dnipro to come, Rafael Benitez is expected to make changes, so the likes of Lorenzo Insigne and David Lopez could return to the starting lineup.
Meanwhile, Milan have been dealt a triple blow, as Jeremy Menez, Philippe Mexes and Ignazio Abate are all suspended.
Menez's absence means that Mattia Destro is likely to take his place in the attack, while Alex should come into the back four.
Napoli possible starting lineup:
Andujar, Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Ghoulam, Inler, Lopez, Callejon, Insigne, Hamsik, Higuain
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Lopez, De Sciglio, Rami, Alex, Bonera, Poli, De Jong, Van Ginkel, Honda, Destro, Bonaventura
Head To Head
It was Milan who came out on top when these teams met in December, as goals from Menez and Giacomo Bonaventura helped them to claim a 2-0 victory at San Siro.
That victory was the first for the Rossoneri in seven games against Napoli, although three of those fixtures have ended in draws.
There is usually plenty of action whenever these teams meet, as there have been 15 goals in the previous five games between them.
We say: Napoli 3-1 AC Milan
Napoli will be desperate to bounce back with a victory after their poor performance against Empoli, as their hopes of finishing in the top three hang by a thread. Milan also need to show a positive response to the heavy criticism that they have been subjected to this season, but we feel that it will be another day to forget for Inzaghi, which is why we are backing the hosts to claim all the points.
Alex Meyers
