Lavezzi inspires Napoli to success

Napoli forward Ezequiel Lavezzi believes his side’s 3-1 away win at Parma on Sunday has showed their ambition.

The Naples-based club entered the match with one win from their last five and their bad form looked like continuing when Raffaele Palladino’s 29th-minute goal had the hosts 1-0 up at half-time.

But Lavezzi, in his first match back from a three-game ban, inspired the comeback with a terrific solo performance that saw Napoli claw within one point of second-placed Inter.

“There’s no point hiding it. Napoli are ambitious and want to fight for important targets this season,” Lavezzi said.

The Argentine was at his best in the second half, setting up Marek Hamsik’s 52nd minute equaliser before he scored himself just six minutes later, to notch his ninth goal in all competitions this season.

Lavezzi said credit belonged to the team and felt he owed his teammates after his ban robbed them of one of their most creative players at such a vital point in the season.

“The team was decisive, not me. I did miss the playing field, as I always want to play and I felt bad at leaving my teammates in this difficult time,” he said.

“After a poor first half, we stepped out on to the pitch in a different way and gave it our all to earn the victory.”

Mon 14 March, 2011

Lavezzi inspires Napoli to success

Napoli forward Ezequiel Lavezzi believes his side’s 3-1 away win at Parma on Sunday has showed their ambition.

The Naples-based club entered the match with one win from their last five and their bad form looked like continuing when Raffaele Palladino’s 29th-minute goal had the hosts 1-0 up at half-time.

But Lavezzi, in his first match back from a three-game ban, inspired the comeback with a terrific solo performance that saw Napoli claw within one point of second-placed Inter.

“There’s no point hiding it. Napoli are ambitious and want to fight for important targets this season,” Lavezzi said.

The Argentine was at his best in the second half, setting up Marek Hamsik’s 52nd minute equaliser before he scored himself just six minutes later, to notch his ninth goal in all competitions this season.

Lavezzi said credit belonged to the team and felt he owed his teammates after his ban robbed them of one of their most creative players at such a vital point in the season.

“The team was decisive, not me. I did miss the playing field, as I always want to play and I felt bad at leaving my teammates in this difficult time,” he said.

“After a poor first half, we stepped out on to the pitch in a different way and gave it our all to earn the victory.”

Mon 14 March, 2011

Lavezzi loses appeal

New video footage means Napoli forward Ezequel Lavezzi’s three-match suspension will stand.

The Argentine striker was hit with the ban after he was caught on camera spitting at Roma defender Aleandro Rosi in the Naples-based club’s 2-0 away win at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

Lavezzi, who netted at Anfield in the Europa League and has five Serie A goals this season, launched an appeal against the ban, insisting Rosi had spat at him first.

But Lavezzi’s hopes of avoiding suspension were set back when new video footage was released.

“We ran into a strange and unexpected situation during the appeal,” Napoli lawyer Paolo Rodella told Sky Sport Italia.

‘There was new footage. We don’t know why the court rejected our appeal, so cannot say whether this new footage swayed their judgment.”

“If that was the case, the footage could not be considered, because it was not used in the original inquest.”

Lavezzi will now miss league matches against Catania, Brescia, and crucially, the match against table-toppers AC Milan on February 28.

The absence of the 25-year-old will place more pressure on the likes of Edinson Cavani, who has scored 20 goals in 25 Serie A appearances this season, and Slovakian Marek Hamsik.

Sat 19 February, 2011

Lavezzi loses appeal

New video footage means Napoli forward Ezequel Lavezzi’s three-match suspension will stand.

The Argentine striker was hit with the ban after he was caught on camera spitting at Roma defender Aleandro Rosi in the Naples-based club’s 2-0 away win at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

Lavezzi, who netted at Anfield in the Europa League and has five Serie A goals this season, launched an appeal against the ban, insisting Rosi had spat at him first.

But Lavezzi’s hopes of avoiding suspension were set back when new video footage was released.

“We ran into a strange and unexpected situation during the appeal,” Napoli lawyer Paolo Rodella told Sky Sport Italia.

‘There was new footage. We don’t know why the court rejected our appeal, so cannot say whether this new footage swayed their judgment.”

“If that was the case, the footage could not be considered, because it was not used in the original inquest.”

Lavezzi will now miss league matches against Catania, Brescia, and crucially, the match against table-toppers AC Milan on February 28.

The absence of the 25-year-old will place more pressure on the likes of Edinson Cavani, who has scored 20 goals in 25 Serie A appearances this season, and Slovakian Marek Hamsik.

Sat 19 February, 2011