Napoli’s drive for a Champions League place slowed on Saturday when they were held at home to a goalless draw by Genoa.
A win would have put Napoli level with second-placed AC Milan, but instead they stay fourth with 38 points from 22 games, 11 behind leaders Inter, who visited Parma yesterday.
The match got off to a high tempo start and Genoa defender Dario Dainelli almost conceded an own goal in the fifth minute when he diverted a low cross on to the post.
Napoli keeper Morgan De Sanctis dived well to push away a powerful left-footed Domenico Criscito free-kick at the other end in the 17th.
As the first half wore on there was plenty of tough tackling but few clear chances, although Napoli defender Paolo Cannavaro smacked a shot against the crossbar from outside the box shortly before the break. The home team did almost all the attacking in the second period but to no avail.
Forward German Denis should have done better when he had only goalkeeper Marco Amelia to beat, Marek Hamsik came close with a curling effort and Fabio Quagliarella nearly snatched it for Napoli with a looping header two minutes from full-time.
“My team played a great match. We wasted six, seven or eight chances,” Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri said. “It hurts because it’s absurd when you don’t win certain matches.”
Napoli, who also had a penalty appeal for handball by Dainelli turned down, are also likely to receive another fine after their fans used lasers to blind Amelia.
“We suffered too much in the second half,” Genoa boss Gian Piero Gasperini said. “It’s a good point but we have to do better to progress. We didn’t have enough courage to open up.”
Palermo’s Champions League hopes also suffered a setback when they lost 4-2 at Bari, ending the match with 10 men. Second-half goals by Vladimir Koman and in-form Brazilian forward Barreto sealed victory for the hosts after Palermo had hauled themselves level from 2-0 down.
The match’s turning point came in the 56th minute, when Palermo midfielder Fabio Liverani received a second yellow card for a nasty groin-high foul.
Defender Leonardo Bonucci fired in the opener in the fifth minute before Honduran Edgar Alvarez coolly slotted the ball past Palermo goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu for the second.
The visitors roused themselves and Fabrizio Miccoli rattled the crossbar with a free-kick before Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani nipped in to put away a Federico Balzaretti cross and pull one back in the 27th minute. Javier Pastore curled the ball inside the far post to level in 54th minute.
But Bari soon regained the lead with the advantage of an extra man. Barreto converted a penalty in the 62nd minute for his 11th goal of the season, while Hungarian Koman sidefooted home in the closing stages.
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