Parma vs Napoli preview - Quartet could return for Parma

Posted Sunday, March 13, 2011 by PA

Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri will have to watch his side`s match at Parma from the Ennio Tardini stands as he serves a touchline ban.

Mazzarri was sent off for protesting on the sidelines during last weekend's controversial goalless draw against Brescia.

Napoli felt hardone by last weekend's refereeing after Christian Maggio's penalty appeal was turned down.

"It was a clear penalty," Mazzarri said. "A penalty can change everything."

The result followed the 3-0 defeat at AC Milan and dropped Napoli to third in the standings, eight points behind league leaders Milan and just two points clear of fourth-placed Lazio.

Despite their recent results, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has taken the pressure off his team ahead of Sunday's encounter.

"We should not be ashamed to be in third place," he said. "I always said that our aim was to finish fifth.

"Our project is to grow gradually. We must not forget that we have only been in Serie A in the last four years."

Parma, meanwhile, have different priorities, and talk within the camp is firmly of avoiding relegation.

Pasquale Marino's side currently lie 15th, two places and one point clear of the drop zone.

Last weekend's goalless result at Chievo was their third straight draw and Parma president Tommaso Ghirardi has promised his side will go all out for victory on Sunday.

The Gialloblu have not won since beating Catania 2-0 on January 22.

"Napoli is a great squad but we will not sell ourselves short," Ghirardi said. "At home we have lost only a few games this season and we believe we can win.

"We will recover four players and we will have an almost complete team."

Hernan Crespo, Massimo Paci, Fernando Marques and Nwankwo have all recovered from their respective injuries and could feature against Napoli.

Parma will also be hoping to call on striker Amauri, who is doubtful with a knee injury.

However, they will be without Gabriel Paletta and Massimo Gobbi, who serve one-match bans.

Napoli's Andrea Dossena and Salvatore Aronica are both suspended.