Fabio Capello believes a “sprint finish” will decide whether Napoli or Juventus win the Scudetto.
The two clubs have opened up a gap between themselves and the rest of Serie A, and the former Bianconeri Coach sees the pair as the only realistic contenders.
“I thought it would be much more open this season,” Capello admitted to Gazzetta dello Sport.
Fabio Capello believes a “sprint finish” will decide whether Napoli or Juventus win the Scudetto.
The two clubs have opened up a gap between themselves and the rest of Serie A, and the former Bianconeri Coach sees the pair as the only realistic contenders.
“I thought it would be much more open this season,” Capello admitted to Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Fiorentina have declined, Inter have taken a nosedive and Roma have changed their Coach. It’s between Napoli and Juventus now, and I believe it’ll be decided in a sprint finish.
“Their head-to-head meeting on February 13 could also have a huge bearing on the outcome.
“As always, you have to grasp the nuances. In the end you count the strength of the defence against a team who scored more, or the power of the attack against one which concedes less.
“Juventus are competitive in all areas, while Napoli can improve in terms of penetration.”
Napoli Coach Maurizio believes Juventus’ superior resources could make the difference, but Capello doesn’t see it that way.
“Saying that belittles the work of the Juventus directors. The sporting and commercial results of a team in modern football are a result of careful planning. You don’t become rich and successful by accident.”
Finally, the former England manager was asked whether Gonzalo Higuain is currently the best striker in Europe.
“Then where do we put [Robert] Lewandowski, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and [Luis] Suarez?” Capello asked.
“I know Higuain well since I, along with Franco Baldini and Predrag Mijatovic, brought him to Real Madrid. I’ve seen him grow and I’m happy he has reached this level because he has worked hard to improve.”