Walter Mazzarri feels Napoli can use qualification for the knockout stage of the Champions League to kickstart their Serie A camapign.
The Partenopei host Cagliari on Saturday in sixth place, well off the pace in their Scudetto defence.
Since marking his return to Napoli a month ago with victory at Atalanta, Mazzarri has seen his side lose back-to-back Serie A games against rivals Inter and Juventus.
However, after beating Braga 2-0 on Tuesday night at Stadio Maradona to progress behind Group C winners Real Madrid, Mazzarri believes his side can move forwards as he prepares to face one of his former clubs.
“Now another match awaits us that we must try to win against Cagliari, and also to get answers on the growth and path we are on,” said Mazzarri, who left Cagliari just before the end of a disappointing 2021-2022 campaign.
“We are heartened by this result (against Braga) and also aware that Napoli can still express themselves at high levels.”
Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo maintains the squad are fully behind Mazzarri.
“Certainly we have to grow and improve. We have been seeing positive signs since the new cycle with Mazzarri began,” defender Di Lorenzo said, quoted on Napoli’s official club website.
“We are working hard and we want to give everything for this shirt because the season is still long.”
Napoli look set to be without midfielder Elif Elmas, who did not take part in Friday’s training session as he manages as thigh problem.
Cagliari boss Claudio Ranieri is looking to build some momentum of their own in a bid to pull clear of the relegation zone after beating rivals Sassuolo with two goals in stoppage time at Unipol Domus on Monday night.
Ranieri, though, knows just what challenge is in front of them as the 72-year-old returns to one of his former clubs.
“Mazzarri has given the team back its dimension, with combinations at a thousand-miles per hour, great players and the ability to solve problems from one moment to the next,” Ranieri said.
“We will have to play a great game and have to come in at our best right away, which we failed to do against Sassuolo.”
Ranieri told a press conference: “I hope the last victory will give us even more awareness, knowing that we have to be focused at all times to make up for any shortcomings we may show.
“If we all help each other and make a little effort to focus, then we will still improve.”
On Friday afternoon, Cagliari announced forward Eldor Shomurodov was set for a spell on the sidelines. Scans confirmed a fracture of the second metatarsal in his right foot following a “blunt trauma” sustained during training.
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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