Match Previews

Napoli missing Mariano Bogliacino (sp) (mid) through injury, Gennaro Iezzo (r) (gk) and Ezequiel Lavezzi (k) (att) have both been named in the squad but neither are fully fit, the same can be said of Francesco Montervino (sp) (mid)... Napoli are desperate to reach the UEFA Cup group stage, but they have a nail-biting ninety minutes in front of them at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon, with Napoli holding on to a narrow 3-2 lead from the first leg. Napoli came away with a narrow 1-0 win over Bologna in the league last weekend, but coach Edy Reja has to contend with the loss of Mariano Bogliacino through injury for this clash. Gennaro Iezzo and Ezequiel Lavezzi have both been named in the squad to travel to Portugal, but neither is fully fit, and nor is midfielder Francesco Montervino. Nicholas Navarro started the first leg of this tie in goal, and he could once again start between the posts, behind a back three comprised of Fabiano Santacroce, Paolo Cannavaro and Salvatore Aronica. In midfield the hard-running Christian Maggio could line up alongside Manuele Blasi, Marek Hamsik, Walter Gargano and Luigi Vitale. It was German Denis who scored the winner after coming off the bench against Bologna last weekend, but suitably rested the powerful Argentine striker is likely to line up alongside the highly-experienced Marcelo Zalayeta in this match. Napoli coach Reja was unhappy with his side for conceding two away goals at the Stadio San Paolo in the first leg of this match, and he will hope those goals don't come back to haunt him in front of what will be a vociferous crowd in Lisbon. Napoli see the UEFA Cup as a chance to bring back the glory days of the late eighties to the club, and tempestuous Club President Aurelio De Laurentiis is unlikely to accept anything less than progression to the group stage of this competition.