Napoli title hopes boosted with Higuain ban reduction

Rome - A four-match ban imposed on Napoli's 30-goal star striker Gonzalo Higuain was reduced to three on appeal on Friday, as his side seeks to overturn a six point gap on league leader Juventus.

Higuain has already sat out one match after a spectacular meltdown at Udinese two weeks ago during a shock 3-1 defeat.

Higuain was shown his second yellow card for kicking out at defender Felipe before launching a verbal tirade against the referee and angrily remonstrating with Udinese players.

The disciplinary commission said he uttered "an insulting term" to the referee, and made "a disrespectful gesture when he faced him and laid his two hands on his chest".

It also evoked "aggressive behaviour towards an opponent" and pointed out that Higuain had "to be restrained by his teammates".

On Friday Higuain's lawyer's argued the player had merely suggested to the referee that his decision had been shameful.

He is the top Serie A scorer with 30 goals this term, and will miss this weekend's clash at Inter Milan and next week's game with Bologna.

But the fiery Argentine will now be back for the game with currently third-placed Roma on April 25 (the 35th of 38 league games) as second-placed Napoli chases a first Serie A title since Diego Maradona played his penultimate season at the club in 1990.

While Napoli faces tough competition this weekend with a trip to fourth-placed Inter, league leader Juventus is fully expected to stretch its unbeaten run to 23 league games against a Palermo side that is in full crisis mode.