Gattuso’s Napoli lock horns with Ibrahimovic’s AC Milan
MILAN: Gennaro Gatuso’s Napoli face an early test of their title ambitions against Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s league leaders AC Milan on Sunday in a clash between two former team-mates chasing the Scudeto.
Both Ibrahimovic, 39, and 42-year-old Gatuso played together at AC Milan when the club won the last of their 18 Serie A titles back in 2011.
Since then Juventus have dominated in Italy and are pushing for a 10th consecutive league title.
Milan are top of Serie A ater seven rounds with a two-point advantage on second-placed Sassuolo, with Napoli a further point back in third.
Juventus are fith, four points behind the leaders, ater a stutering start under new coach Andrea Pirlo.
“I don’t like hearing talk about the Scudeto,” said Napoli coach Gatuso, urging his players to “calm down” as they target a first league title since 1990.
Former World Cup winner Gatuso spent 13 years as a player with AC Milan, also coaching the club between 2017 and 2019.
AC Milan are travelling without head coach Stefano Pioli and his assistant Giacomo Murelli, both out with coronavirus.
“We all know the great importance of this match, we are ready,” said Milan midfielder Alexis Saelemaekers.
“The coach did a great job in the previous months and on Sunday we want to play and win for him too.”
Statistics favour Napoli who are unbeaten in their last 11 clashes against AC Milan.
Milan’s last league win in Naples was back in October 2010, the season of their last Scudeto, with Ibrahimovic on the scoresheet.
But Napoli have lost their last two home games, and will be without forward Victor Osimhen, injured oninternationaldutywithnigeria.albaniandefender Elseid Hysaj also tested positive for Covid-19 during the international break.
Juventus host Cagliari, who they lost to back in July, needing all three points to keep among the leading group, with a run of 10 matches in all competitions in the next four weeks.