Juventus vs Napoli - Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri: Napoli are not just Gonzalo Higuain

Posted Friday, February 12, 2016 by PA

Shackling Gonzalo Higuain can only ever be the first step towards neutralising Serie A leaders Napoli in Turin, according to Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri.

Saturday night sees reigning champions Juve play host to free-scoring Napoli with a view to overhauling the southerners' two-point lead and finally replacing them at the top of the table.

The Bianconeri have risen to second place on the back of an historic 14-game winning streak, but Napoli are similarly irrepressible having notched their eighth straight victory last week.

Furthermore, the Azzurri boast the league's top scorer Higuain among their forward options, the Argentina international having notched 24 times. Juve's leading marksman, Paulo Dybala, has notched only 13 times.

But Allegri will not allow his players to waste all their energy trying to contain Higuain when Napoli have proved to be more than capable of spreading the goals around the team.

He told a pre-match press conference: "Napoli are not just Higuain. They have the second best defence in the division, and the best attack.

"Higuain is having the best season of his life. It will be difficult to mark him but there are plenty of other dangerous players to worry about.

"Napoli are enjoying a great campaign, they've got 56 points. We had less than that at this point last year. It should be a great game but the result will not decide anything."

Allegri must decide if he will pair Simone Zaza, back following suspension, or Alvaro Morata with Dybala up front, while Sami Khedira has returned from a thigh injury and could start in midfield.

There is better news for Napoli with fringe midfielder Alberto Grassi the only player ruled out.

Head coach Maurizio Sarri is expected to stick with his preferred attacking trident of Lorenzo Insigne, Higuain and Jose Callejon in his mission to open a five-point gap on Juve.

Former Real Madrid striker Higuain, brought to the Stadio San Paolo by Rafael Benitez three years ago, has flourished under the Spaniard's successor.

Ahead of the trip to Turin he told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "Sarri is like a father figure to me.

"He focuses on highlighting my weaknesses. When we first met, he told me right away what he thought of me - both the good and the bad. After that I've been able to learn better from my mistakes.

"Sarri has given me all this confidence. I appreciate his honesty and he knows good football."

Napoli established their Scudetto credentials with a 2-1 home victory over Juve in September but they have traditionally found points harder to come by in Turin.

The Bianconeri have won this fixture four times in a row, scoring at least three times in three of those encounters, while Napoli have notched just one league goal at the Juventus Stadium since it opened in 2011.

They last triumphed in the northern city in October 2009, with Marek Hamsik - still a focal point of the Napoli midfield - scoring the winner in a 3-2 victory.