Gennaro Gattuso admits Napoli ‘were awful and deserved to lose in the first half,’ but changes allowed them to overturn Sampdoria 2-1.
The coach was wearing glasses today due to a recurring eye problem, but there was nothing wrong with his vision of the game, as substitutes Hirving Lozano and Andrea Petagna both scored to turn it around.
Gennaro Gattuso admits Napoli ‘were awful and deserved to lose in the first half,’ but changes allowed them to overturn Sampdoria 2-1.
The coach was wearing glasses today due to a recurring eye problem, but there was nothing wrong with his vision of the game, as substitutes Hirving Lozano and Andrea Petagna both scored to turn it around.
“We knew that we were going to have to struggle today, just look at all the results of the clubs who played in Europe this weekend,” Gattuso told Sky Sport Italia.
“We used up a lot of energy on Thursday against Real Sociedad, we introduced other players and changed the system after the break, so we won.
“The first half was awful and we deserved to be losing at the break, but we made a lot of changes. Lozano is a quick player who can both attack and defend very well. Last season, he didn’t have enough strength in his legs to maintain both, he’d fall over when he took a shot. Now he has rediscovered himself.
“Sampdoria were well-organised with Claudio Ranieri’s two banks of four. We struggled, but after the break we passed it better and caused them problems with our passing chains down the flanks.”
Petagna rushed to the touchline to hug his coach after the goal, just as Lorenzo Insigne and Victor Osimhen had already done this season. Does that mean the players love him?
“I think sometimes they love me, sometimes they probably take my picture out first thing in the morning and spit at it,” replied Rino with his typical forthright fashion.
“I was a player, I don’t take offence and I don’t hold a grudge, I think that’s what they appreciate. I don’t lie to them, I don’t hold back, I tell the truth.
“Fabian Ruiz was disappointed today and I told him to lift his head, it’s just one game, he’ll get his chance to make up for it. Imagine how many games I got wrong as a player!”