Mazzarri calls for Napoli Cup final charge

20 March 2012 19:47

Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri says his team will go at Siena with all guns blazing as they aim to reach a first Italian Cup final since 1997.

Siena lead 2-1 from last month's semi-final, first leg but Napoli are still the favourites to progress ahead of Wednesday's clash at the San Paolo.

Having been knocked out of the Champions League by Chelsea last week and sitting some way off league leaders AC Milan in fourth in Serie A, this represents the southerners' only realistic chance of silverware this season.

"Siena are in the semi-finals because they deserve to be. I want to see the usual Napoli, running at 1,000 (kilometres) an hour for 90 minutes," said Mazzarri.

"Then we'll see what happens. I haven't decided who will play yet, we have a lot of tired players but I'm sure (Ezequiel) Lavezzi will start."

Mazzarri expects the game to be tight with few chances and he urged the club's fans not to get frustrated if they struggle to break down Siena.

"What is certain is that we'll need the fans' support, I want to tell them that it will be a very difficult match," said Mazzarri.

"I want to tell our fans to give us a hand in keeping calm in every phase right to the end.

"We're improving in a positive way but, as we saw at Stamford Bridge, we can feel the pressure of being favourites.

"We need to take the next step up in quality and overcome the nagging worry of having to do something at every cost."

Mazzarri reached the Italian Cup final during his spell as coach of Sampdoria in 2009 having knocked out Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan on the way.

They lost the final to Lazio but Mazzarri's team have again knocked out Inter this season.

Siena are playing in the semi-finals for the first time and looking likely to survive in Serie A they can concentrate on making hitory and a first ever final.

Source: AFP