Milan: Napoli will have to overcome the loss of Ezequiel Lavezzi for Monday's match at AC Milan in which a win would draw the team level with the Serie A leaders.
Lavezzi is one game into a three-match ban for spitting at Roma defender Aleandro Rosi. The Argentine has been a mainstay of Walter Mazzarri's team this season, alongside Uruguay forward Edinson Cavani and Marek Hamsik in attack.
Lavezzi's partnership with Cavani, in particular, has been crucial to Napoli's unexpected return to near the top of the standings. Milan leads by three points from Napoli, with Inter Milan a further two points back and Lazio seven off the pace with 12 rounds remaining.
"There is nothing we can do," Mazzarri said. "Lavezzi is one of our key figures and he has been taken away from us.
"To be penalized when we are at our most crucial stage of the season leaves a bitter taste and we don't have a natural replacement for Pocho (Lavezzi), but we have to live with that. Napoli honors football and we will demonstrate our growth yet again."
Napoli has been keeping pace with Milan since the start of 2011 and has been steadily improving ahead of the meeting at the San Siro. Two weeks ago, Cavani scored twice in the 2-0 win away to Roma at Olympic Stadium. A week ago, Juan Zuniga scored in a 1-0 victory against Catania.
"We overcame another test of our maturity," Mazzarri said. "I had a great response from everyone and this means that I can truly count on all my men."
While Napoli was playing Villarreal in the last 32 of the Europa League later Thursday, Milan has had a low-key week and will have had more than a week's rest since beating Chievo Verona by kickoff time.
Italy defender Gianluca Zambrotta is the latest player to return to training, although Andrea Pirlo and Massimo Ambrosini are both unfit.
"It will be a challenging match," Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati said. "Napoli is having a great championship and its results speak for themselves.
"Cavani is one a number of excellent attacking players that Napoli has and all of them can cause us problems."
Inter, the defending champion, lost 1-0 at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday. In the league, though, Leonardo's side has looked impressive and new signings Giampaolo Pazzini, Yuto Nagatomo and Houssine Kharja have helped the team close the gap on Milan.
"It is still an open championship race," midfielder Dejan Stankovic said. "It is isn't over yet because we still believe in what we can do.
"It is normal to be tired at this stage of the season after playing every three days in January and February. We have to put these wins behind us because there is always another game coming up a few days later."
Inter is away to Sampdoria on Sunday, and Nagatomo is likely to return to the starting lineup after he made way for Cristian Chivu for the match with Bayern.
"I think that Nagatomo has progressed in every game he has played," Leonardo said. "He is a good alternative for us."
Inter midfielder Thiago Motta (muscle strain) and defenders Andrea Ranocchia (knee) and Ivan Cordoba (ankle) are out of the match.
Lazio needs a win at Cagliari to keep ahead of the improving Udinese in the fourth and final Champions League place.
Brazilian playmaker Hernanes continues to be Lazio's inspiration. He has scored seven times so far this season, including two goals in the past three games.
"This player can influence the whole team," Lazio coach Edy Reja said. "He has great skills and isn't just a great midfielder, but is able to finish well. He makes goals and finishes."
Also, it is: Juventus vs. Bologna; Catania vs. Genoa; Bari vs. Fiorentina; Brescia vs. Lecce; Cesena vs. Chievo Verona; Palermo vs. Udinese and Roma vs. Parma.
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