Maggio aiming for World Cup

Napoli’s Christian Maggio remains hopeful of featuring for Italy at the FIFA World Cup after recovering from lung surgery.

Maggio has not played since his club’s 1-0 Serie A victory over Roma on March 9 due to a partially collapsed lung.

However, the versatile right-sided player has now returned to training, and is hoping to convince Italy coach Cesare Prandelli that he deserves a spot in Italy’s 23-man squad for Brazil 2014.

“I am optimistic,” Maggio told Radio Kiss Kiss. “To have come back into training now has made me more relaxed about it because now I have time to prepare myself well and make myself available for the boss.

“Until I know I won’t be in the squad I will continue to hope. The important thing is that Prandelli knows I have returned to training.

“I am well, fortunately on Monday I got the news that I had been waiting for for a while. I am back in full training and that’s what I wanted. Now I just need to get back to the right physical and mental level.”

Maggio was also questioned on Napoli’s Coppa Italia final with Fiorentina on Saturday, and the 32-year-old is confident the club can repeat their 2012 success, when they defeated Juventus 2-0.

He added: “On Saturday we will have the right mentality. We have all been thinking about the match with Fiorentina.

“My team-mates have trained very well and I hope they can give a great performance.

“The group has always worked well and on Saturday we will have the chance to express ourselves in the right way. We hope we can do it.

“Before the final two years ago people told me what would happen if we won. By winning the Coppa Italia against Juventus I learned what it means to Napoli when they win a trophy.

“I hope that on Saturday we can return to Napoli celebrating another trophy with our fans.”