Giacomo Raspadori believes Napoli can build on their brilliant opening half of the season and go on to win the Scudetto, although he’s aware that Milan could be able to ‘scare’ the Azzurri.
The Partenopei have picked up 13 wins and two draws from the 15 Serie A games played before the World Cup break, an impressive unbeaten streak which resulted in an eight-point cushion over the reigning champions, who sit second.
“I’d be a liar if I acted like I don’t care about winning the Scudetto”, Raspadori told Corriere dello Sport in an interview.
“However, it’s not an obsession. It’s the goal we work for, but without stress. But I believe in it: in order to win it, we’ll have to put in the same effort of the last three months and prove that we deserve it. Napoli’s qualities have been evident so far”.
Serie A football will resume on January 4, 2023, when Napoli will take on Inter at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in a crucial fixture that will see the hosts desperate to get a win in order to reopen the Scudetto race.
However, Raspadori knows that the Nerazzurri are far from being the only contenders for the title: “It’ll be tough, there’s no doubt, but there are also Milan, who look like the contender who can scare us the most, and Juventus, who are coming back.
“That eight-point cushion gives us an edge, it’s better to be ahead than chasing someone else, but we don’t have to feel safe. The league is starting now, but we’re eight points ahead”.
The 22-year-old striker joined Napoli last summer from Sassuolo in a deal worth around €30m and, despite struggling to get regular playing time due to his teammate Victor Osimhen’s form, he’s made the most of the chances he’s had, scoring five goals from 16 appearances across Serie A and Champions League.
Raspadori also explained that he’d not been affected by his expensive price tag, which is something that makes him ‘proud’ instead.
“I’m not scared by the amount of money that Napoli spent to sign me”, he claimed.
“I know how the transfer market works, I know it can happen and that even bigger sums are spent in other deals. It’s part of the game. It would be senseless to be surprised. I could even tell you that I’m proud of it”.
When asked about his decision to join the Partenopei, ‘Raspa’ highlighted the importance of talks he held with coach Luciano Spalletti and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli.
“It was my specific choice to come here, after listening to what Giuntoli and Spalletti told me”, he said.
“I was happily dazed by their words, I perceived their trust. I couldn’t be wrong, and I was not”.
“My destiny drew me to Napoli and I can only be proud. It was a chance to seize for me, because I grew up watching Maurizio Sarri’s Napoli and I was impressed by the nature of a club which has a close connection with spectacular football. I already saw myself as part of this team”.