Arrigo Sacchi says Juventus and Napoli are “two balanced teams” as he analyses the Scudetto race.
The Partenopei are two points clear at the top of Serie A, but the Turin giants are breathing down their necks, having won 13 League games in a row.
The Bianconeri have the best defence in the League, while Maurizio Sarri’s men have the best attack, and Sacchi discussed the difference with Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Does the best defence win the League? In Italy that’s true,” the former Milan Coach acknowledged.
Arrigo Sacchi says Juventus and Napoli are “two balanced teams” as he analyses the Scudetto race.
The Partenopei are two points clear at the top of Serie A, but the Turin giants are breathing down their necks, having won 13 League games in a row.
The Bianconeri have the best defence in the League, while Maurizio Sarri’s men have the best attack, and Sacchi discussed the difference with Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Does the best defence win the League? In Italy that’s true,” the former Milan Coach acknowledged.
“But in Spain you become successful when you score more, so there are different ways to interpret football.
“The important thing is balance. [Carlo] Ancelotti told me that the Milan he played for – which I coached – was great because it was so balanced, everyone attacked and everyone defended.
“That’s the goal you have to aim for as a Coach.
“We conceded the least goals? Very true. But let’s ask the question: ‘why didn’t we concede goals?’
“Maybe because we had the ball and we always attacked. Our attacking style was a way of keeping our opponents away from our own area.
“Napoli and Juve? They’re two balanced teams, who attack and defend collectively. They don’t use their opponents as a reference point, they go on the front foot by scoring and pressing.
“The style is fundamental. What good is it having great actors if you don’t have a pleasing and effective plot.
“I, the director, could hire Robert De Niro, but if I make him read Giovannona Coscialunga [an Italian sex-comedy] what will be the result?
“The players and the style must go hand-in-hand.”
Sarri then gave his opinion on the two sides’ campaign so far.
“One thing has to be analysed: Napoli are conceding fewer goals than in the past. They’re minimising the risks, the defenders are rarely exposed one-on-one.
“Is that down to Sarri? No doubt, they don’t have defenders as good as Juve.
“As for Juve, at the beginning of the season they were on holiday, then they woke up and are now showing incredible strength. They’re growing tremendously.
“That growth is down to the players, the Coach [Max Allegri], and also the club and directors who have calmly and firmly given them time to recover.
“If you don’t have a good club behind you, you’re going nowhere. Without a club like Milan to support me, where would I have gone?”