Napoli vs AC Milan preview - Inzaghi defiant despite slump

Posted Saturday, May 02, 2015 by PA

Filippo Inzaghi is refusing to take the easy way out by resigning from AC Milan amid a desperate run of results.

The Rossoneri are unlikely to move far from their dismal current position of 10th in the Serie A table after following up two draws with back-to-back defeats to Udinese and then Genoa.

Head coach Inzaghi - formerly a talismanic and opportunistic striker for Milan - has not yet been sacked and he insists he will not become a "coward" by walking away from San Siro.

"We have to finish the season well," he told acmilan.com. "I will not be resigning, that's for cowards.

"I will put on a brave face like I always did as a player, I could only resign if I saw that my players were no longer committed to the cause.

"In these difficult times everyone has to take the responsibility. There is little else we can do and we must just keep moving forward.

"We must be clear-headed, we cannot put the blame on any one department. There are no excuses.

"This team is capable of beating Napoli and I think this squad should have earned more points than it has."

That squad will be missing defender Philippe Mexes and striker Jeremy Menez, both Frenchmen suspended, while Michael Essien, Gabriel Paletta, Suso and Luca Antonelli are ruled out through injury.

Michu, Juan Camilo Zuniga and Jonathan de Guzman are sidelined for Napoli, who suffered a setback in their bid to secure Champions League football in midweek as they fell to an unexpected 4-2 defeat at Empoli.

The Stadio San Paolo club are still operating under a media blackout, but president Aurelio De Laurentiis spoke briefly to Kiss Kiss Napoli to outline his desire that coach Rafael Benitez remains in charge for many years to come.

"I've told him he can stay another year or even five if he wants," he told the radio station. "If he wants to move his family to Rome, where there are so many English schools, that would be perfect.

"He has said he will let me know. If Benitez stays I will be the happiest man in the world, but if not I will find a coach who is just as good.

"Napoli fans need only hope that I don't decide to leave!"