Gennaro Gattuso wants Napoli to ‘respect Juventus, but play to our strengths’ in the Coppa Italia Final, though he won’t let Hirving Lozano ‘ruin’ training with a bad attitude.
It kicks off in Rome tomorrow at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT) behind closed doors.
If the result is not decided after 90 minutes, the teams will skip extra time and go straight to a penalty shoot-out.
Gennaro Gattuso wants Napoli to ‘respect Juventus, but play to our strengths’ in the Coppa Italia Final, though he won’t let Hirving Lozano ‘ruin’ training with a bad attitude.
It kicks off in Rome tomorrow at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT) behind closed doors.
If the result is not decided after 90 minutes, the teams will skip extra time and go straight to a penalty shoot-out.
“There is never a good time to face Juve, as I think it’s part of their DNA and the history of the club to always be ready,” Gattuso told RAI Sport.
“For so many years they’ve had consistency and that great mentality. We must respect them, but also play to our own strengths.”
It’s a curious reunion for Maurizio Sarri, who spent three years at the Stadio San Paolo and came close to winning the Scudetto.
“I like everything about him, I won’t deny that and I think I’ve said it more than once, I copied and pasted his tactics many times over the last few years.
“I watched so much footage of how he organised his defensive line, how he started the trend for more passing in Italian football, I like it all.”
There was tension within the Napoli camp today, as Gattuso reportedly sent Lozano home early from training for lack of effort.
“Anyone who is tired, who doesn’t feel like it, who isn’t sharp mentally, as far as I am concerned, he can just stay in the locker room and miss a day of training,” explained Gattuso.
“Everyone knows that if they step on to the field with me, they have to go at full speed. I won’t allow anyone to ruin a training session.”