Napoli are currently sweating on the fitness of star forward Dries Mertens, after he scored a stunning goal versus neighbours Benevento last weekend, only to be later substituted with an ankle injury. The 30-year-old Belgian has become key to the success of the Partenopei, having scored 14 goals and provided six assists in the league already this term, as Maurizio Sarri’s side went into the weekend just one point ahead of rivals Juventus.
The side’s reliance on Mertens is also exacerbated by a long-term ACL injury to backup striker Arkadiusz Milik – the second of this nature for the 23-year-old Polish star in consecutive seasons – as well as a failure to secure an alternative who could play in the front three during the January transfer window. President Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed that his side had missed out on Davy Klaassen from Everton, Barcelona’s Gerard Deulofeu and Simone Verdi of Bologna, while Matteo Politano’s move from Sassuolo also collapsed at the last minute.
This means that with Juve – who have won the last six consecutive Serie A titles –waiting to capitalise on any slight mistake, all eyes are on the fitness of Mertens. Napoli need his goals and his form if they are to stand any chance of lifting that coveted trophy in May, just as they needed Diego Maradona when they last won the Scudetto in 1989/90.
Indeed, the only other time this side have won the league was 1986/87, just two seasons after the pint-sized Argentine arrived from Barcelona. His height and sheer importance to the side have drawn parallels with current star Mertens, similarities that the man himself acknowledges.
“I really like [Kalidou] Koulibaly, I like Allan, but if I had to choose a player to put in this Napoli side I’d put Mertens in with me,” said the legendary forward in a recent interview with Corriere dello Sport. “He has everything: dribbling, shots from distance, he has the capacity to make this team great and he knows how to play.”
Maradona is right, and a team like Napoli need a special player like him or Mertens in order to propel them to success. They don’t have the infrastructure, resources or previous record of Juventus, but could one key man make the difference?
Mertens himself is keen to play down any such comparisons which have seen him further linked with the Argentine. Back in September he scored a spectacular long-range lob versus Lazio, an opponent that Maradona had fired in a very similar goal against back in 1985.
“Mine was further out, so I get extra credit!,” joked Mertens after the match. “I turned around, saw the goalkeeper was getting slowly back to his line and that there was a small gap, so I said to myself: 'go for it'! They made me watch Maradona's goal, it was harder for him, so let's leave the comparison. It's thanks to my team-mates if I'm able to score goals like that. I am not Lionel Messi, I'm not Maradona, I'm just Dries and I'm happy with that.”
Tonight, as they take on Lazio once again, Napoli need “just Dries” more than ever. Juventus earned a 2-0 win away to tough opponents Fiorentina on Friday evening and so the pressure is on them to retain their one point advantage with a win over Simone Inzaghi’s side. The Belgian has been named in the squad but may be replaced by Piotr Zielinski in the starting lineup, with Jose Callejon deployed as a false nine within the front three.
The encounter could turn out to be key in the title race, as Napoli need to avoid the psychological blow of letting the Old Lady take top spot. As the last few years have proven, once she gets there it is almost impossible to oust an opponent who is so well-versed in the art of winning. For the sake of the neutral it is to be hoped that Mertens can play a part, in order that the title race can stay exciting for as long as possible.
