Napoli vs Catania Preview - Cannavaro looks to celebrate new deal

Posted Sunday, February 20, 2011 by PA

Napoli captain Paolo Cannavaro has signed a new four-year contract to give the club the perfect boost ahead of Sunday's match against Catania.

After months of negotiations, the 29-year-old defender finally put pen to paper on a new deal which will see him remain at Napoli until June 2015.

Cannavaro said: "My aim and that of the club is to enjoy a lot of success in the next four years.

"I hope to win something important and to be remembered as a legend at the club."

Cannavaro was suspended for Thursday's goalless draw against Villarreal in the first leg of the Europa League last-32 tie.

However, he will return to action this weekend as Napoli look to clinch their seventh win in eight league games at the San Paolo stadium.

Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri will be hoping that Edison Cavani can maintain his goalscoring form with striker Ezequiel Lavezzi serving the first of a three-match ban.

Cavani scored his 20th league goal of the campaign in last weekend's 2-0 triumph over Roma, and has struck seven times in the last five league games.

Napoli lie second in the standings, just three points behind AC Milan and two points clear of Inter Milan in third.

Catania travel to Naples as the only team in Serie A still winless on the road this season.

However, the Sicilians head into the encounter in buoyant mood after clinching their first win in 2011 last weekend.

Sunday's 3-2 triumph over Lecce was Catania's first win since December 19 and lifted Diego Simeone's side to 16th in the standings, four points clear of the drop zone.

"We didn't play well but we won because we believed in ourselves and we didn't give up," Simeone said.

"If we continue to work like this then we will get closer to the level I want to see my team play at."

The hosts will be without suspended defender Hugo Campagnaro.