Napoli coach Francesco Calzona urges his players not to ‘put all the pressure on the defence’ and still has hope for Champions League qualification.
The match with Empoli kicks off at the Stadio Castellani at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT).
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Verona–Udinese on the LIVEBLOG.
President Aurelio De Laurentiis is in the stands this evening to watch the team in action, along with 3,500 Napoli fans.
It is now mathematically guaranteed that the top five teams in Serie A will qualify for the new, expanded Champions League tournament in 2024-25, so does that give Napoli hope they can still claw their way back into the competition?
“As I’ve been saying for a while, our objective is to go as far as possible. Having this extra slot is further motivation for us to reach prestigious areas of the table,” Calzona told DAZN.
The defence is totally reshuffled, as Mario Rui and Amir Rrahmani are suspended, with Mathias Olivera injured, while Pasquale Mazzocchi is only fit for the bench following a bout of flu.
It gives Natan his first appearance since February 28, having effectively fallen off the radar under this coach.
Following the 2-2 draw with Frosinone, Calzona complained that Napoli could not sense danger, so is that something he has tried to drill into the players?
“We worked hard in training, as we have been since getting a full week to work on. It’s something we need to shake off quickly, as when the opponents have the ball, we must defend as a team unit and not put all the pressure on the defence.”
Piotr Zielinski is going to leave Napoli as a free agent in the summer, having already agreed terms for a transfer to Inter, but remains a core figure in the midfield.
“Zielinski has been improving the last few weeks, he is an important player. Regardless of his future, if he trains the way he did in the last few weeks, then I will use him, as he is a professional and works hard.”
Empoli will wear black armbands today following the death of former President Pietro Allegri at the age of 89.
He had been at the helm of the Tuscan club from the late 1980s to early 1990s.