Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri will be without the suspended Edinson Cavani against Inter and has therefore decided to change his formation to a 3-4-2-1 instead of his preferred 3-5-2.

Ezequiel Lavezzi will be Napoli’s lone striker, supported by Marek Hamsik from midfield, while Juan Zuniga is expected to feature in an advanced position as well.

Inter tactician Leonardo has decided to hand Marco Materazzi a rare start at the back in place of Lucio, who is nursing an ankle injury.

Houssine Kharja will replace the injured Wesley Sneijder in the attacking midfield position and will be supported by Argentine duo Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso.

Up front, Leonardo has opted to go for a partnership of Samuel Eto’o and Diego Milito, thus relegating Giampaolo Pazzini to the bench.

Napoli starting XI: De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica; Maggio, Gargano, Pazienza, Dossena; Zuniga, Hamsik; Lavezzi

Substitutes: Iezzo, Vitale, Ruiz, Santacroce, Yebda, Sosa, Lucarelli

Inter starting XI: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Ranocchia, Materazzi, Nagatomo; Zanetti, Cambiasso, Kharja; Thiago Motta; Milito, Eto’o

Substitutes: Castellazzi, Pazzini, Mariga, Samuel, Chivu, Pandev, Coutinho

West Ham have sacked Avram Grant after the club suffered relegation from the Premier League.

The Hammers were demoted to the Championship following a 3-2 defeat to Wigan at the DW Stadium, in a game which Grant’s side were leading 2-0 at half-time.

The Israeli took charge at Upton Park last June on a four-year deal following the departure of Gianfranco Zola, who managed to keep West Ham in the Premier League last term.

The 56-year-old’s job has been under constant threat during his time at the club. Martin O’Neill was strongly linked to succeed Grant in January before pulling out of the move.

Co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan now face the task of hiring a manager fit to rebuild and guide the club back into the top flight.

First-team coach Kevin Keen will take charge of West Ham’s final game of the season, which is a home tie against Sunderland.

“The club can confirm that Avram Grant is no longer the manager of West Ham United,” read a statement on the club’s official website.

“First-team coach Kevin Keen will take charge of the team for the final home match of the season against Sunderland on Sunday 22 May.”

Fulham manager Mark Hughes praised his side after they recorded a superb 2-0 win at St Andrew’s against a Birmingham City side struggling to survive in the Premier League.

After collapsing to a 5-2 defeat at home to Liverpool last Monday, critics had suggested that Fulham’s players were already on the beaches – with nothing left for the Londoners to play for in their final three games.

But goals at the start of each half from the impressive Brede Hangeland blew away Birmingham and gave Hughes’ men all three points – something which clearly delighted manager Mark Hughes.

Speaking to reporters after the game, the Welshman said: “I was pleased to get the reaction I got. I didn’t doubt the players. Today it was about showing we haven’t switched off for the end of the season.

“We’ve got targets that we’ve set ourselves and we intend to reach them. We were fully focused and I think you could see that from the way we approached the game and thankfully we were able to get another away win which have been hard to come by.

“I think that’s our third and back-to-back away wins as well, so we have made a marked improvement in terms of what we can produce on the road.”

With Birmingham clearly nervous, Fulham’s first goal after just four minutes could have opened the flood-gates, with only poor finishing from both Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora preventing the away side from running away with the game.

Whilst Hughes admitted he was disappointed that his side didn’t take all their chances, the manager could not help but compliment his team on the way they played their football.

“We had a number of chances,” he added. “Maybe we felt there was too much time and space and we didn’t make the best of it and kill the game off early.

“I think everybody saw we are an accomplished team and we like to get the ball down and play the right way. And when we get our noses in front we are hard to beat.”

After losing 5-2 to Liverpool just six days ago, Fulham were clearly playing to show their fans that they haven’t given up on their season – despite Premier League safety being confirmed a few weeks ago.

And with their opponents struggling to avoid the drop, Hughes confirmed that his side planned to use the nervous atmosphere at St Andrew’s to pile the pressure on Birmingham.

“As a club and players, you don’t want to be in the situation that Birmingham have found themselves today.

“We knew that be to our advantage and if we started positively and put them under pressure then there is apprehension in the crowd and that was to our advantage.

“I think you could see that, it was a little bit frenetic at times and we were able to capitalise on that.”

The Cottagers host Arsenal next weekend, knowing that three more points could see them finish the season in seventh place – their highest ever Premier League finish. And Hughes believes that would be a fitting end to what started out as a difficult season.

“We feel obviously if we can win our last home game against Arsenal, and Chelsea beat Everton, then we may be seventh,” he added.

“That would cap a fantastic season for us given the initial problem we had with injuries at the start of the season. And that would be a real achievement for us.”

Kaizer Chiefs defender Valery Nahayo is expected to jet out of the country on Wednesday to attend trials with KAA Gent.

Nahayo is expected to spend five days with the Belgium club and return to South Africa in time for their League fixture against AmaZulu on May 21.

After doing well for the club this season, Amakhosi football manager Bobby Motaung has confirmed that the Burundian international could secure a permanent move overseas next season.

“The player will go to Gent to assess their set-up and working conditions before making a final decision on a possible move,” said Motaung.

The Phefeni Glamour Boys are reportedly already chasing the signature of former Santos defender Nasief Morris as a possible replacement.

Santos’ Copa Libertadores hero Alan Patrick has admitted that he was over the moon to score the goal which gained his team a vital lead in their quarter-final clash against Once Caldas, and that he was not daunted by stepping into the place of injured star Ganso.

The 20-year-old started on Wednesday evening in place of the much-coveted number 10, who was ruled out of action for six weeks after sustaining a thigh injury at the weekend. He would prove to be the difference between the two teams, as with 42 minutes gone the midfielder picked up a perfect pass from Neymar and finished coolly to register the only goal of the night, giving the Peixe a 1-0 win away to Manizales.

Speaking after the match, Patrick was delighted to have given his side a decisive advantage in their last eight tie.

“I was pleased with the play. Neymar’s move was fantastic as well and I managed to convert it. Ganso is a great player and I am trying to do my job in the team as well as I can, the coach has given me the chance and I intend to grab it,” the youngster told reporters in a post-match press conference.

His words were echoed by coach Muricy Ramalho, who praised the ability of Patrick to step up when his team needed him despite spending a lot of time on the bench.

“I always talk with the players who are not in the team. I pressure them to work hard, as they have the chance to shine at any moment. Alan played well as a substitute on Sunday and he played well again against Once Caldas,” the trainer affirmed.

“He linked up well and always advances to help the attack. It is always my way: the players who deserve a place will play.”

The second-leg takes place next Wednesday, May 18.

Legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo could make a sensational return to football with former club Corinthians, according to claims made by Timao president Andres Sanchez.

The 34-year-old star, twice a World Cup winner with the Verdeamarelho in 1994 and 2002, retired from the professional game in a tearful farewell three months ago. His decision was finalised after a long struggle against various physical complaints, which were compounded by the fierce reaction of Corinthians fans to the team’s elimination from the Copa Libertadores preliminary stages.

He has kept close links with the Sao Paulo club however, saying on many occasions he wants to stay involved as he began working towards a career in player representation. And, according to Sanchez, a chance still remains for ‘O Fenemeno’ to shine on the pitch as well.

“Ronaldo is going to play again. I don’t know if he will play three, four or five games, but he will be back,” the chief was quoted as stating by Lance. A contract offer extending until the middle of 2012 is expected to be officialised in the coming days.

The veteran forward’s return could come as early as the end of May, if two friendlies against former employers are arranged. A marketing company linked to the Timao has reportedly offered Inter and Barcelona €2 million each for an exhibition match, provisionally scheduled for May 25 and June 2.

Uefa have confirmed Real Madrid appealed against the decision which saw their complaint against Barcelona rejected earlier this week.

The Uefa Control and Disciplinary Body, which dealt with, and rejected, the initial complaint from Madrid following the Champions League semi-final, first-leg on April 27, said on Monday: “The protests lodged by Real Madrid CF, against the behaviour of the FC Barcelona players during the match, and against the red card shown to Kepler De Lima Ferreira (Pepe), are rejected.

“In the case of the behaviour of the FC Barcelona players, it was deemed that there was no common strategy to provoke the Real Madrid CF player.”

However, Madrid have used the three-day window to lodge their appeal. The Uefa Appeals Body will hear the case on May 16.

Meanwhile, it is expected the Control and Disciplinary body will announce their decision regarding Jose Mourinho’s sending-off in the first-leg tomorrow. They will also look at Mourinho’s post-match reaction in which he suggested Barcelona were being favoured.

Madrid were eliminated from the Champions League on Tuesday, losing 3-1 on aggregate to the Camp Nou side.

After being banned by FIFA over bribery allegations during the selection process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, former executive committee member Amos Adamu has filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Adamu, who was kicked out of the sport for three years is appealing the decision at the CAS alongside Tonga’s Ahongalu Fusimalohi, who was banned for two years.

“In both cases, the appellants request that they be found not guilty and the sanctions against them be annulled,” the court said in a statement.

Adamu was immediate past president of the West African Football Union, a member of the FIFA and CAF executive committees as well as an important figure in Nigerian sports in the last decade. He organised the much criticised Abuja 2003 All Africa Games, which was plagued with corruption.

The FA have revealed that a decision over the potential docking of points from Championship winners Queens Park Rangers has been delayed.

The verdict was scheduled to be made on Friday but has now been put back to a later date which has yet to be confirmed by the FA.

A statement from the FA read: “It was originally indicated that the decision of the Independent Regulatory Commission hearing on the charges against QPR and Mr Gianni Paladini concerning Alejandro Faurlin and on any sanction, if appropriate, would be announced by 4pm on Friday 6 May if possible.

“This will not now happen.

“A decision will be made and announced as soon as possible thereafter.”

Rangers are facing FA action over the transfer of Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlin, who joined the club in 2009. However, the FA are investigating whether there is a link between the club and a third party in the deal that brought him to Loftus Road.

Neil Warnock’s side’s automatic promotion to the Premier League could be rescinded if the FA find them guilty, with a deduction in points putting them in the playoff places where they would fight it out for the last promotion spot.

The club have also been threatened by the Football League that they will not wait for their appeal to be heard, with their potential playoff opponents given a bye to the final, according to the Daily Mirror.

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Antonio Di Natale has said Udinese will do all they can to stop Juventus and Roma from squeezing into the Champions League play-offs.

Fourth-placed Lazio and the fifth-placed Friulani allowed both Roma and Juventus to make up ground last weekend when going down to defeats. The Aquile lost to Juve 1-0 at home, while Udinese were thumped 5-2 by Fiorentina.

The Lupi are now level on points with Di Natale’s men, while Juve are three behind, leaving the race for fourth place wide open with three games left.

The Italian striker, 33, has hit 26 goals in 33 league games this term, but it may not be enough to clinch European action. But Di Natale has made clear it who he believes is worthy of end of season prizes.

“We are not only in a battle with Lazio, but also Roma and I’ll add Juventus too,” Di Natale is quoted as saying by Il Corriere dello Sport.

“However, only two of the sides deserve to qualify for the Champions League and that is Lazio and us, certainly not the Giallorossi or Gigi Del Neri’s team.

“At the end of the day though only one club will be celebrating.”

Udinese take on Lazio this weekend in what could prove to be a fourth place decider.