Ferrario: Chelsea defence too slow

Ex-Napoli defender Moreno Ferrario is confident the Serie A side will be too dynamic to handle for Chelsea’s ‘slow and predictable defence’.

Ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 second-leg clash at Stamford Bridge, Ferrario said the London club could only dream of possessing attacking talents such as Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Walter Mazzarri’s men caused their Premier League opponents all sorts of problems when the two sides met three weeks ago, heading into the decider with a 3-1 advantage.

Although it is Chelsea who will have home advantage, Ferrario believes that Napoli’s much-lauded forwards are likely to run riot once more, claiming that the Londoners are not the side they once were.

“I think that Napoli are superior to this Chelsea team,” he told Goal.com.

“Mazzarri’s Napoli are doing better and they have all the cards in their favour to give the English trouble – even at home.”

“This is not the Chelsea of two or three years ago. Their champions are not as integrated as they once were; I’m thinking of (Frank) Lampard and (Didier) Drogba.”

“Sure, they have some champions and so, on the right night, they can cause problems. But I believe that Napoli can do well.”

“In attack, Mazzarri can count on fast and quick players that can do real harm to Chelsea’s slow and predictable defence.”

“The English dream of players like Cavani and Lavezzi.”

Indeed, Ferrario believes that if Napoli front up physically, their renowned counterattacks should prove decisive.

“Napoli have the players to score there,” he argued.

“If they do not make any mistakes at set-pieces, where the Blues will be looking to exploit their great physical strength, then this fairytale can continue.”

Ferrario, who was capped by Italy at Under-21 level, joined Napoli from Varese in 1977 before leaving 11 years later to play for Roma.