Jose Callejon looks forward to tonight’s Coppa Italia Final against Fiorentina” data-scaytid=”3″>Fiorentina and acknowledges “football is religion at Napoli.”
Jose Callejon looks forward to tonight’s Coppa Italia Final against Fiorentina and acknowledges “football is religion at Napoli.”
The Stadio Olimpico in Rome hosts the Final at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT) and it’s the only opportunity for either club to get silverware this season.
“The fans are so passionate here. Football is religion at Napoli and the people prefer to go to the stadium than do anything else,” Callejon told Spanish newspaper El Pais.
“They love football and we owe a great deal to them. I am very happy here and hope that I can continue growing.”
Callejon is expected to start tonight’s Final on the right side of the field in a 4-2-3-1 supporting Gonzalo Higuain.
“We understand each other tactically straight away. Fiorentina play with a 4-3-3 and their strength is in midfield, as they like to keep possession. Our greatest weapon is pace.
“Pepe Reina has innate leadership skills, while Raul Albiol is a great defender. This season he played so much and even when tired he’s still great.”
Ex-Real Madrid man Callejon was asked about the difference between working with Rafa Benitez and Jose Mourinho.
“Mourinho is a motivator and his speeches include a lot of analysis of his opponents. Benitez, on the other hand, works on the technical and tactical levels.
“It was Benitez who called me first when negotiations were going on with Napoli, then President Aurelio De Laurentiis convinced me and I am very happy with my decision.
“In the first two months I struggled with the language, as it was a sudden switch from Madrid, the club I had always played for.”