Napoli vs Palermo preview - Zamparini expects Napoli backlash

Posted Tuesday, September 23, 2014 by PA

Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini is expecting a Napoli backlash on Wednesday when the teams meet at the San Paolo stadium.

Napoli head into the match on the back of Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Udinese, a result which has left them with just three points from three league games and already six points adrift of the leading sides.

And Zamparini fully expects Rafael Benitez's men to come out strong against Palermo as they seek to get their campaign back on track.

He said: "Napoli will be angry and will be determined to win on Wednesday at the San Paolo stadium. Football, like in life, has ups and downs.

"We must prepare ourselves for a very difficult game in Naples."

Not since the 2000-01 campaign have Napoli lost two straight games after three rounds played in Serie A, while they were also knocked out of the Champions League play-offs by Athletic Bilbao last month.

The latest setback for Napoli has left coach Benitez extremely frustrated.

"That was a game we could have and should have won," he said. "But we weren't lucky in front of goal.

"We had the game under control until Udinese scored.

"We need to continue to work with conviction.

"We must react immediately and bounce back against Palermo on Wednesday."

Benitez, whose side have failed to score in their two league defeats, rested three of his first-choice players against Udinese.

Jose Callejon, Marek Hamsik and Dries Mertens all started on the bench in Udine with Callejon and Mertens coming on as substitutes.

All three are set to start alongside Argentina international Gonzalo Higuain in attack on Wednesday.

Promoted Palermo, meanwhile, are looking for their first victory of the campaign as they travel north, but will have history against them at the San Paolo with their only league in Naples coming back in 1951.

Rosanero coach Giuseppe Iachini is expected to field the same starting XI that held Inter Milan to a 1-1 draw on Sunday.