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2023/24 Italian Serie A
Matchday 19
Torino v Napoli
Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino
Turin, Italy
Sunday, 6 January 2024
Kick-off is at 14h00
Defending
Serie A champions Napoli will be hoping for a better second half of the season as they kick off the New Year with a trip to Torino at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on Sunday, January 6.
The Partenopei endured a disappointing opening five months to the 2023-24 campaign, winning just eight of their 18 matches to fall well off the pace in the title race.
Walter Mazzarri replaced Rudi Garcia at the helm on November 14, although the Italian's return to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona hasn't quite had the desired effect to date.
Mazzarri has won just two of his first six games in charge and a 0-0 draw with Monza on December 29 left the team 17 points adrift of league leaders Inter Milan in eighth position.
Lazio beat Frosinone 3-1 on December 29 to close within a point of the Naples outfit in ninth spot, while Atalanta climbed up to sixth in the standings courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Lecce.
Toro complete the top half of the table, but are just two points clear of Monza (11th) after a 1-0 loss to Fiorentina left them winless in their last two outings.
It was a first defeat in four matches for Ivan Juric's side and they trail the Eagles by three points as they attempt to arrest a run of five consecutive losses to Napoli.
In team news, the hosts will hand a late fitness test to Ange Caumenan N'Guessan, who is carrying a thigh injury, while Perr Schuurs remains a long-term casualty with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Alex Meret (muscular) was substituted in the clash with Monza and joins Natan (shoulder) and Mathias Olivera (knee) on the treatment table for Mazzarri's side.
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Mazzarri was sent off in the clash with Monza after leaving his technical area to separate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and William Bondo on the pitch, with the Georgian having reacted angrily to a foul by the Frenchman.
The Italian tactician criticised the referee for not dealing with the 'systematic fouling' against Kvaratskhelia, who continues to receive harsh treatment from the opposition week in, week out.
"Show what happened to Kvaratskhelia, who was held for five minutes and then the coach got sent off. At least show why I was so angry," he told DAZN.
"After five games where nothing happens about this, people get fed up. Last time I said that I didn't want to talk about referees, but if you allow them to do whatever they want and don't go down to 10 men, this is what happens.
"I hope at some point the referees will also realise the treatment he is receiving and that in the long run he can benefit from this experience. At one point, it looked like a game of rugby more than football.
"I went over to the referee and told him that Kvara was not allowed to play because he was systematically fouled. The rules have to be applied."
Despite only collecting 28 points from their opening 18 fixtures, Mazzarri insists he is not concerned with their position in the standings as he looks to turn their fortunes around on the pitch.
"I am not worried by the table, my focus is on getting my lads to play well and today that is what they did," he added.
Head-to-Head (Last Five Serie A Meetings)
Matches - 5
Torino - 0
Napoli - 5
Draws - 0
Serie A Matchday 19 fixtures:
Friday, January 5
19h45: Bologna v Genoa
Saturday, January 6
11h30: Inter Milan v Verona
14h00: Frosinone v Monza
17h00: Lecce v Cagliari
19h45: Sassuolo v Fiorentina
Sunday, January 7
11h30: Empoli v AC Milan
14h00: Torino v Napoli
14h00: Udinese v Lazio
17h00: Salernitana v Juventus
19h45: Roma v Atalanta
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