Walter Mazzarri mentioned Monday that he desires Napoli to finish their dwelling hoodoo by beating Braga and confirming a spot within the final 16 of the Champions League. Napoli have not received in Naples since late September, with 4 defeats and two attracts from their most up-to-date six matches on the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. A single-goal defeat on Tuesday would nonetheless enable the ailing Italian champions, who’re second in Group C and three factors forward of Braga, passage on aim distinction however Mazzarri desires to invert a worrying development on dwelling turf.

“I’m not thinking about anything other than that we have a match at home against a team worthy of respect, we need to win it,” Mazzarri instructed reporters.

“And tomorrow we need to not give them anything, because that will help us continue in a similar vein between now and the end of the season.”

Mazzarri has had a tough begin to his second spell as Napoli coach, dropping three of his first 4 matches after taking up from the sacked Rudi Garcia final month.

After profitable at Atalanta on his second debut the 62-year-old needed to tackle Real Madrid and Juventus away, whereas the one dwelling match he has confronted to date was towards Serie A leaders Inter Milan, who’ve been Italy’s finest staff because the begin of the season and earned a convincing 3-0 win.

Napoli performed some shiny soccer in these defeats, particularly in Madrid the place they went toe-to-toe for lengthy interval with the Spanish giants.

That has been trigger for restricted optimism regardless of falling 14 factors behind Inter and successfully surrendering their league title earlier than the top of the calendar 12 months.

“I think the team has shown that it knows how to play football. But we need to rediscover the balance that they had last season, that’s my main aim,” added Mazzarri.

“We’ve been lacking, results wise… But what really interests me is getting out of the group while also showing that we’re a solid team again, that we don’t gift anything to the opposition.”

Before the pre-match press convention Mazzarri instructed Sky that Victor Osimhen won’t begin Tuesday’s match as he travelled on Monday to Marrakesh, the place he might be topped African Footballer of the Year.

Osimhen, who’s but to attain on this season’s Champions League, is up towards Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi for the continental gong and Mazzarri mentioned “I’ll talk to him tomorrow and see if he can start”.

Napoli are set to lose the Nigeria ahead for the Africa Cup on Nations, which begins within the Ivory Coast on January 13, after being with out their star striker for weeks with a hamstring harm.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is fighting a heavy chilly however ought to begin as he tries to beat underwhelming kind after dazzling Europe final time period.

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