Walter Mazzarri wants Napoli to show their “pride in a special game against Juventus” after their thrashing at Inter.
The Coach claimed his team “struggled with the pressure of big matches” after a 3-1 loss at San Siro on Thursday.
“We lost and must never forget each side has a specific quality level. To overcome those obstacles, everything has to work perfectly,” said Mazzarri ahead of tonight's San Paolo showdown.
Walter Mazzarri wants Napoli to show their “pride in a special game against Juventus” after their thrashing at Inter.
The Coach claimed his team “struggled with the pressure of big matches” after a 3-1 loss at San Siro on Thursday.
“We lost and must never forget each side has a specific quality level. To overcome those obstacles, everything has to work perfectly,” said Mazzarri ahead of tonight's San Paolo showdown.
“I watched the Inter game back and at times we played better than them, but in the end the motivation of their champions made the difference. We started out anxious and it's something to be avoided this time round.”
The Partenopei are in third place and face a head-to-head battle with Juve to stay in the Scudetto hunt.
“Maturation is a process that goes through various steps. We cannot have everything straight away. In 16 months we have finished sixth and gone into the knockout phase of the Europa League.
“I expect the team to fight back and show their pride in a special game against Juventus,” continued the tactician.
“We have to get out there with the right attitude from the get-go. After a defeat, you have to work on the motivation of the players. I know my men are proud and can't wait to cancel out the previous performance.
“It shows our lack of experience, as we are not yet accustomed to these big matches. We tend to react only after conceding the first goal.
“Will we be more prudent? That is a word that doesn't have a place in my vocabulary! If anything, we have to be more aggressive and dominate possession.”
Juventus are also eager to prove a point after their 4-1 home defeat to Parma on Thursday and have new striker Luca Toni ready for his debut.
“Let us not forget before that result Juve were unbeaten in 19 matches. We'll both be motivated to prove ourselves and it's going to be a tough game.”
Fabio Quagliarella was all set to return to the club he left in the summer following a row with Mazzarri, but is ruled out for six months by a knee injury.
“I wish Quagliarella all the best, as he was having a great season. It would've been nice to see him here. It's a shame and I know what an injury like this means.”