Napoli vs Genoa preview - Cannavaro eyes strong finish

Posted Saturday, April 30, 2011 by PA

Napoli captain Paolo Cannavaro is targeting maximum points from his team's remaining games as they look to qualify for the Champions League following an impressive season in Serie A.

Walter Mazzarri's side are currently third in the standings, one point behind second-placed Inter and five points clear of fourth-place Lazio.

As it stands, Napoli will go into qualifying for Europe's elite club competition but Cannavaro wants no surprises and has urged his side to take 12 points from their last four matches, starting on Saturday against Genoa.

Cannavaro said: "To maintain or even extend our current gap with the fourth place would be very important for us.

"We have done better than other teams this season and we deserve to be where we are.

"It has been a splendid campaign and we are very proud of what we have done so far.

"To qualify for the Champions League would be extraordinary for us and for our fans."

Earlier this month, Napoli were still in the race for the scudetto but defeats to Udinese and Palermo in the last two rounds have seen their hopes of winning the title fade away.

"We have to put our last two defeats behind us and focus on getting three points against Genoa," Cannavaro said.

Napoli will be bolstered by the return of Cannavaro and Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Both missed last weekend's 2-1 defeat in Sicily through suspension.

Genoa coach Davide Ballardini, meanwhile, will be forced to make several changes to his starting XI.

The Grifoni will be without suspended trio Omar Milanetto, Dario Dainelli and Rodrigo Palacio for the encounter at the San Paolo stadium.

Ballardini's men will look to maintain their positive run which has seen them win convincingly at Brescia and at home to Lecce in the last two weeks.

Genoa are 10th in the standings, with 45 points from 34 games.