Arrigo Sacchi believes Napoli should be focusing on their “defensive errors” against Juventus.
The Partenopei were beaten 3-1 in Turin on Tuesday night, but were enraged by two penalties awarded to the hosts.
Controversy has been raging ever since the game, with even the mayor of Naples weighing-in, but the former Milan Coach believes they should sort out their defence first.
“Juventus have a great history of winning,” Sacchi pointed out in an interview with Il Mattino.
Arrigo Sacchi believes Napoli should be focusing on their “defensive errors” against Juventus.
The Partenopei were beaten 3-1 in Turin on Tuesday night, but were enraged by two penalties awarded to the hosts.
Controversy has been raging ever since the game, with even the mayor of Naples weighing-in, but the former Milan Coach believes they should sort out their defence first.
“Juventus have a great history of winning,” Sacchi pointed out in an interview with Il Mattino.
“Right now they’re trying to do the maximum on all fronts possible, and in addition to their history giving them an advantage in the League from the start, they’ve spent four times more than the others.
“On the other hand, they’ve competent. Very competent. They’ve bought the top players to succeed in achieving their objectives.
“The other night in the Coppa Italia I saw the game and I said to myself: ‘[Daniele] Rugani, [Medhi] Benatia and [Andrea] Barzagli don’t always play, but in which [other] Italian teams would they not be starters?’.
“Napoli? It’s like a catamaran against a warship. The catamaran moves fast, it’s quick, but as soon as it’s not moving quickly, the aircraft carrier will destroy it.
“That’s exactly what Juve do to all their opponents, not just Napoli.
“The French philosopher Romain Rolland said ‘A hero is someone who does what he can’. Napoli fans should thank their team for this extraordinary spectacle.
“People need to understand that Napoli are focused on the future, against Juventus they had lads playing who were 19 or 20.
“Sarri doesn’t have any players who have ever been top players or have been starters for a great national team, they’re all growing but they don’t have much experience.
“There’s excitement, but the defence and the defensive phase are the great weakness of this Napoli. The goals they conceded against Juve were all defensive errors.
“Obviously the higher level you’re playing at, the more you’ll pay dearly for every single mistake.
“[Maurizio] Sarri is painting a masterpiece, but then against Atalanta nobody moves on the pitch and that’s when the blow comes.
“This is a team which always has to go 100 miles per hour to fill the gaps. The synchrony, enthusiasm and motivation must be high, or else…
“Here, take this very match: Juve had an excess of tactics and were fearful. If that had been Napoli they’d have conceded three goals.
“Instead the Bianconeri were just one behind, they rearranged things and brought out their firepower.
“The referee? If I thought there was deliberate misconduct on the part of the referee, I’d stop watching football. I must always think everything is above board, and I always have.
"Never mind the referee, focusing on him is the preserve of mediocrity. You can get angry with the referee during the game, maybe for a few minutes after, but then you have to focus on the things you lacked to win the game.
“Was it a penalty on Raul Albiol? I’m a Coach, not a referee. I don’t know.”