Fabio Cannavaro is pleased to see Napoli on track to win their first Scudetto in decades, believing that the credit ‘is mainly due to Luciano Spalletti’.
The Partenopei are only weeks away from mathematically confirming their first league title win since the days of Diego Armando Maradona, having looked almost unstoppable this season with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen leading the line.
Napoli emerged as outside favourites for the Champions League as well but fell to Milan in the quarter-finals, setting up a semi-final Derby della Madonnina with Inter. Despite this, there is still a party mood in the Campania capital, a city ready to welcome the Scudetto for the first time in over 30 years.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Cannavaro first gave his thoughts on Napoli’s Serie A success this season.
“This title is a different story from the previous ones. Napoli won it, but it did Italian football some good. The domination of Spalletti’s team forced the other clubs to aim for different goals.
“And so, we find ourselves with five teams in the European semi-finals. And this is good for the movement. I think of Sevilla, for example, in recent years, not being able to aim to win La Liga, they have concentrated on the Europa League, gaining international prestige.”
He explained why this Scudetto is different for Napoli compared to their previous victories.
“Because the previous two have a unique, extraordinary mark: Maradona. He wrote fantastic pages and even if Bianchi and Bigon’s teams were good teams, his presence was magnetic.
“This Scudetto, on the other hand, has many faces and the credit is mainly due to Luciano Spalletti.”
He commented on the work of Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen this season.
“Any comparison (to Maradona, ed.) would be blasphemous. The two are very strong, but this season was won because the coach presented a competitive group that had exceptional consistency.
“Osimhen and Kvara in Turin were less brilliant, but they had Elmas and Raspadori, who like Simeone were decisive. Napoli is this and much more. Winning against Juve was the seal. Because Scudetti always pass through Turin, a symbolic place.”
The 2006 World Cup winner weighed in on the Partenopei’s work in the Champions League.
“Napoli also came close to that feat. Unfortunately, they got there with some key men not in good condition and in the decisive moments were unlucky.
“And then it must be said that Milan are the only ones who have understood how to hurt the Azzurri. They have three men plus Tonali who are fundamental and Maignan, Theo and Leao were all very good.”
The former defender discussed the tactical side of Spalletti’s Napoli.
“Spalletti has achieved an excellent balance of play and teamwork. Not only does he play international football, but he is effective and successful. Because so many try, so few succeed. He has achieved something that perhaps even he did not believe in at the beginning.
“I remember Luciano’s first press conferences, he regretted Koulibaly and the others leaving. But then he was good at creating an exceptional system. Because you, the opponent, think you’re blocking Lobotka, and you find the full-backs coming up the midfield to build.
“You mark the centre-backs and Anguissa drops back to build, you double up on Kvara and Zielinski finds more space. There are many sides to Napoli’s Scudetto, it means that they have worked well at the club.
“The growth in these years has been progressive. The club, thanks to Sarri, has created a DNA of good play, continued with Gattuso, and now sealed by Spalletti.”
Finally, Cannavaro discussed Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis’ contributions to the Scudetto.
“Yes, he too has changed. Before he thought above all about participating, about the Champions League, to keep the club at certain levels. Now he’s realised that it’s good to win. From his face when I met him at the Maradona, I saw a different enjoyment.
“The difference with the other seasons is that we had to wait 33 years to win the title again. Today instead we have a club that can continue to win even if someone leaves.”