Luciano Spalletti notes seeing Champions League Finalists Inter so far behind them in the Serie A table ‘shows you what an achievement Napoli reached’ by winning the Scudetto.
It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT).
The Partenopei have already clinched the Scudetto and are now trying to make sure Victor Osimhen is crowned Capocannoniere, especially as his biggest rival Lautaro Martinez is rested by Inter today.
Osimhen and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia were in doubt with a few knocks, but they are in the starting XI.
“We’ll see how they do, because at this stage of the season there is always going to be fatigue and everyone has a few injuries. Everyone trained well this week and we are ready to absorb all the affection and love of our fans,” Spalletti told DAZN.
When the Inter team bus arrived, Spalletti said ‘there they are, the finalists!’ and it could’ve referred to the Champions League or the Coppa Italia, as they are in both.
“I am proud to have coached a prestigious side like Inter, that is something I will always carry with me. We have to tip our hats to them for a great season in general, and that in a way shows you what an achievement Napoli have reached to leave a squad with that strength in depth behind us, winning the title with five rounds to spare. I feel proud about that too.
“Inter were always ready for the Champions League appointments, had two great semi-final legs and deserve to be in the Final. It’s disappointing for us that although we played with courage, a lot happened to us over the two quarter-final matches, meaning we weren’t at full strength.”
The last few days have seen growing speculation and hints that both coach Spalletti and director of sport Cristiano Giuntoli will leave this summer, the boss to take a sabbatical and the transfer guru for Juventus.
He said in his press conference that he had ‘two doors in front of me, one marked happiness and the other unhappiness,’ noting they were very close together.
“Wherever you go, the people want to hug and thank you, the sensation is tangible, you don’t even finish one conversation and immediately turn into another. It’s wonderful, we will always have those memories. We’re on a high-speed train, we stop at one station and immediately surge off again, so we’ve got to be ready to grab the moment and enjoy it.
“There is happiness. Absolutely happiness.”