Napoli director Cristiano Giuntoli is proud the club waited for Chelsea target Stanislav Lobotka to ‘flourish and become the player we all expected.’
The Serie A match with Bologna kicks off at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT), you can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the LIVEBLOG.
“Every game after the Champions League is complicated, as you need to shake off the midweek game and rediscover physical and mental energy,” Giuntoli told DAZN.
“Bologna are a side who are going through a difficult moment.”
Midfielder Lobotka was considered something of a flop when arriving from Celta Vigo, but has become a key figure in Luciano Spalletti’s midfield and attracted interest from numerous other big clubs.
“He is an important player, we knew his quality, we waited for him to adapt and get fit, as he arrived with some physical problems. We knew he would flourish and become the player we all expected.”
Another midfielder, Eljif Elmas, got into some hot water recently when posting on Instagram that the bench of the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona was his ‘first love.’
“Eljif scored seven goals and provided five assists last season, almost always coming off the bench, so he is extraordinary. In a moment when he is not able to help his teammates, he made a joke, if that was taken the wrong way, it is not our problem,” shrugged the director of sport.