Mazzarri fears Chelsea backlash in Europe

Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri is fearful of Chelsea kickback in the first leg of its Champions League last-16 match on Tuesday

Chelsea heads into the game in Naples licking its wounds after dropping to fifth in the Premier League and only managing a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup on Saturday against second-tier Birmingham City.
“Chelsea is worse than us at the moment but I don't trust (form tables),” Mazzarri said. “We're maybe coming into the game better as a whole, but their team is one of champions, who are all used to the atmosphere of great international events. I'm sure that they will regroup for the occasion.”
In fact, the Italian sees the potential for a Chelsea fightback, starting at the Stadio San Paolo.
“Paradoxically, their difficulties at the moment in English competitions could be an extra obstacle for us. Even when results weren't happening for us we never stopped playing well, but single episodes made everything go badly.”
Napoli is full of confidence after rising to sixth in the Serie A standings with two successive victories. Edinson Cavani struck twice in an impressive 3-0 win at Fiorentina on Friday to take his tally for the season to 15 in the league.
In contrast to Champions League newcomers Napoli, Chelsea has a strong pedigree among Europe's elite, with four semifinal appearances and a losing final in 2008.
However, Mazzarri's men have already dumped one Premier League team out the competition and, despite the coach's word of warning, his players will be quietly confident they can do the same to Chelsea as they did to Manchester City in the group stage.
Defender Hugo Campagnaro is set to miss out with a calf injury, and will again be replaced by Gianluca Grava.
Mazzarri will be forced to watch both legs from the stands as punishment for his altercation with Villarreal striker Nilmar in the group match in December.
Chelsea coach Andre Villas-Boas is hoping captain John Terry and Ashley Cole are fit after injuries and could recall veterans Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard in a bid to bolster experience and confidence.
“You need an extra mental push,” Villas-Boas said. “Until you get out of the cycle with a win, for sure it perpetuates a little bit.”
All eyes will also be on matters off the pitch. Fans from Manchester City, Liverpool and Bayern Munich have all suffered violence, including stab wounds, on recent visits to the Italian city.
Napoli has issued a public plea to its fans to behave.
“Napoli makes a further and even stronger appeal to fans to respect the current norms in security matters, in line with UEFA rules,” a club statement read. “Norms that if violated would provoke a stadium ban and hence compromise other big international events here.”
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