At the end of his press conference in Castel Volturno, Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti said he would embrace Mohamed Salah and Alisson ‘warmly’ tomorrow night: ‘I want to add their shirts to my collection.’
The ex-Roma stars played at the Stadio Olimpico under the Italian tactician before they joined Liverpool.
They will cross paths again tomorrow night in the opening game of the Champions League Group A.
“It will be a great satisfaction to once again see Alisson and Mohamed Salah. I was fortunate enough to coach them both and I will be delighted to see them back in action,” the coach said.
“When Alisson signed for Liverpool from Roma, he was one of the most expensive goalkeepers of all time and despite that, he showed his worth. If you try to compare Alisson in terms of where he ranks in the goalkeeping stakes, he is almost the No.9 of goalkeepers in terms of stature, character and quality.
“As for Mo Salah, once at a press conference after a 4-0 win over Palermo, I highlighted the fact that he sprinted back 60 yards to recover possession despite the fact we were winning 4-0, he is one of those players who can keep alive a ball that appears to be dead and buried.
“Alisson and Salah are two shirts that I’d like to add to my collection and I’ll embrace him very warmly tomorrow night.”
Spalletti is known for his wide collection of football shirts which he showed in his latest interview with DAZN.
Salah scored 28 goals in 62 appearances with Roma under Spalletti, delivering 21 assists. He joined Liverpool for €40m in the summer of 2017.
Alisson, on the other hand, moved to Anfield the following year for €62m after playing 15 games with Spalletti.
The Italian tactician was asked what he’d fear about Napoli if he was in his shoes.
“I am extremely honoured to sit in the dugout close to him, when you talk about top coaches, he is one of the benchmarks in terms of describing a footballing philosophy. It’s tough to find someone similar to him. I wear a cap today, so I am already getting a little bit closer.
“I am not necessarily going to tell Klopp what he should be looking for. I am going to try to keep an eye on what he is watching of our play and the instruction he gives to his players.”
During his pre-match press conference, Spalletti warned his players that Liverpool would try to keep their heads below water, adding that he will make a final decision about the injured Victor Osimhen tomorrow morning.