Chievo vs Napoli, preview: A couple of dilemmas for Benitez

The first round is behind us and thank goodness Napoli conquered Bologna. Now it's time to worry about the dullest team in the league. Rafa Benitez and the boys will look to add another 3 points, but it won't be an easy game, however much stronger Napoli is individually. Like with Bologna, Napoli has a big motive in this game, to get revenge for recent losses. Quite a few of them, actually, as the last 3 matches at the Bentegodi ended with victories for Chievo Verona. The last time Napoli beat the Flying Donkeys was in May 2010.

Rafa Benitez has some difficult choices to make concerning the starting XI, particularly concerning Paolo Cannavaro. The captain missed out last week and it seems that Rafa might prefer Miguel Britos once again, even though he insisted that Cannavaro was training very well and that he considers him a very important part of the team. Raul Albiol will be the other center-back for this match, with Christian Maggio and Juan Zuniga as right and left back.

One of the two defensive midfielders in Rafa's 4-2-3-1 will be Valon Behrami, of course, but which Swiss will join him? Most likely Gohkan Inler, as Benitez seems to prefer him to Blerim Dzemaili.

Obviously Marek Hamsik will orchestrate the attack, with Jose Callejon and ... someone flanking him. Will it be Goran Pandev or Lorenzo Insigne? We'll have to wait to find out. Gonzalo Higuain will start up front, and I understand he'll be arriving via motorboat, his hand to his face to hide his stitches.

It's an important match for both teams, but the azzurri need to win these games versus the so-called small teams, if they are to mount a serious challenge to Juventus. Napoli are the clear favorites, but they were favorites every time they played Flying Donkeys, and that didn't always turn out so well...

Probable line-ups:

Chievo Verona (4-4-2): Puggioni, Sardo, Papp, Cesar, Dramè, Hetemaj, Radovanovic, L. Rigoni, Sestu, Thereau, Paloschi

Napoli (4-2-3-1): Reina, Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Zuniga, Inler, Behrami; Pandev, Hamsik, Callejon, Higuain