On the pitch at 8.45pm Napoli-Turin
Finding the right balance between the need on the one hand to beat Torino at 'Maradona' by winning the third consecutive victory in the championship, something that has never been achieved this season, and on the other to save the strength of some prominent elements of the team to face next Tuesday with some more hope of victory for Barcelona at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium and thus qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals.
It's the constant thought at the moment in Francesco Calzona's Napoli home who, however, also has to deal with some injuries which prevent him from having the entire squad available.
The goal the Neapolitans are aiming for remains that of winning fourth place and qualifying for next year's Champions League.
It will take a feat because the distance from Bologna, which has an eight-point advantage, appears objectively very difficult to bridge, without considering that Atalanta and Roma are also currently ahead of the Azzurri and that these teams are obviously also aiming to participate in the most important event in European football.
Calzona is counting a lot on the fact that all three of these opponents in the second round will have to play at 'Maradona', but it is clear that for Napoli, from now until the end of the championship, no distractions of any kind are allowed.
Toro have won just one point in their last three matches and haven't won since February 16th, yet they still have a shred of hope of staying in the running for Europe.
The match in Naples against the reigning Italian champions, however, is beginning to take on the contours of a last resort: "We have to do something special, we're looking for an effective shot - says Ivan Juric on the eve - because when we play at high levels like now, we have to continue to believe in it: sooner or later it will turn around, we have to try to eliminate mistakes even if we have so many champions up against us."
Torino continues to be a sort of 'paradox' with the fourth best defense and the fourth worst attack: "The 13 goalless matches underline the desire of my boys not to concede goals, but on the other hand the fact of not scoring is killing us - the Croatian's analysis of the numbers - and we have to raise the level of the attack: the big teams win 1-0, some details didn't allow us to close the circle."
Probable lineups
Napoli (4-3-3): 1 Meret;
22 Di Lorenzo, 55 Ostigard, 5 Juan Jesus, 6 Mario Rui;
99 Anguissa, 68 Lobotka, 20 Zielinski;
21 Politano, 9 Osimhen, 77 Kvaratskhelia.
(95 Gollini, 14 Contini, 30 Mazzocchi, 3 Natan, 17 Olivera, 32 Dendoncker, 8 Traorè, 29 Lindstrom, 81 Raspadori, 18 Simeone).
All.: Calzona.
Disqualified: none.
Resigned from booking: Mazzocchi, Ngonge, Rrahmani.
Unavailable: Rrahmani, Cajuste, Ngonge.
Turin (3-4-1-2): 32 Milinkovic-Savic;
26 Djidji, 4 Buongiorno, 5 Masina;
19 Bellanova, 77 Linetty, 66 Gineitis, 13 Rodriguez;
16 Vlasic;
21 Okereke, 91 Zapata (1 Gemello, 71 Popa, 9 Sanabria, 11 Pellegri, 15 Sazonov, 17 Kabic, 20 Lazaro, 27 Vojvoda, 29 Njie, 47 Muntu, 79 Savva).
Coach Paro (Juric disqualified).
Disqualified: Ricci.
Be warned: Lovato, Ricci.
Unavailable: Lovato, Ilic, Schuurs, Tameze.
Referee: Orsato di Schio
Reproduction reserved © Copyright ANSA