Napoli Coach Maurizio Sarri warns Palermo are “dangerous”, and plays down Scudetto talk.
The Partenopei have won five of their last six Serie A games, and welcome the Sicilian side to San Paolo tomorrow.
“It will be a difficult game,” Sarri predicted in his pre-match Press conference.
“They’re a team who have re-discovered themselves since the international break. They’re coming off two very good results, with good performances, and there’s the unknown of a midweek game.
Napoli Coach Maurizio Sarri warns Palermo are “dangerous”, and plays down Scudetto talk.
The Partenopei have won five of their last six Serie A games, and welcome the Sicilian side to San Paolo tomorrow.
“It will be a difficult game,” Sarri predicted in his pre-match Press conference.
“They’re a team who have re-discovered themselves since the international break. They’re coming off two very good results, with good performances, and there’s the unknown of a midweek game.
“They’re a strong team, they did well last year and now they’re coming back to those levels. They have an excellent Coach [Beppe Iachini] and they’re dangerous.
“We played in Europe, and then on Sunday, whereas they played Saturday and so they have an extra day.
“That doesn’t seem right, there should be more sensitivity toward those playing in Europe.
“The Scudetto? Until recently the talk was of a team which hadn’t been reinforced in the transfer market and a Coach who was out of his depth. So we can’t say anything different.
"In terms of the group, we don't talk about it, just the next game. We don't talk about the long-term.
"I'd say Juventus are always the favourites."
When he took over in the summer, Sarri made it his mission to get Gonzalo Higauin to “play with a smile”, and the former Empoli Coach is happy with the striker’s progress.
“We have a lot of champions, and Higuain is a superstar. That’s a different thing. He’s calm, in training he laughs and jokes with the staff and I can see he’s very serene.
“He’s got a sunny disposition, unlike what is portrayed, but his shyness is also partly to blame for that.
“He’s done great things at 80 per cent of his potential, if he reaches his full potential he can have a world-class impact.”
The former Empoli Coach was also asked whether he was proving the doubters wrong, not least club legend Diego Maradona, who had criticised the appointment.
“I’ve already said, he [Maradona] is an idol, and he always will be for me,” Sarri shrugged.
“He can say whatever the Hell he likes.”