Scudetto a possibility, says Mazzarri

Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri has admitted to sneaking a glance at the Serie A table after his side rose to second with a 1-0 win at Genoa.

Marek Hamsik nodded in the lone goal from Walter Gargano’s free kick in the 25th minute, leaving Napoli level on points with third-placed Lazio ahead of the latter’s clash with Juventus on Sunday.

Though Mazzarri has told his players to focus on the pitch and forget about the table, the 49-year-old acknowledged he is thrilled with Napoli’s ascendency.

“It is certainly pleasing to look at the table, even if I always tell my players not to pay attention to it,” Mazzarri told reporters after the match.

“I noted the team is growing in terms of character. It’s good that they are always so united and solid.”

“Even when we were missing a crucial player like (Argentine striker) Pocho Lavezzi, our style of football did not change.”

“The Scudetto? Well, we’d have to carry on like this.”

Genoa coach Davide Ballardini bemoaned an ‘unfair’ result in Saturday’s match, saying the foul that led to Gargano’s free kick did not deserve to be paid.

“We did not deserve to lose and this is an unfair result,” Ballardini said.

“Genoa put in a good performance, but Napoli deserve compliments; as winning games like this means you are a top side.”

“However, it was not a foul from Mimmo Criscito on Cristian Maggio for the free kick that led to the goal. There was also a Maggio handling offence in the box (that was missed by the referee).”