Luciano Spalletti hit out angrily at the media after Napoli crushed Sassuolo 6-1. ‘You are trying to obscure the great result of Champions League qualification by making it all about the Scudetto.’
The Partenopei collapsed in the Scudetto race over the last few weeks and needed a win today to keep Juventus from stealing third place.
They gave a strong response, thrashing Sassuolo 6-1 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona with a brace each for Dries Mertens and Victor Osimhen.
However, the coach was in no mood to celebrate in his post-match interviews with DAZN and other media sources.
“Being almost mathematically certain of Champions League football with three rounds to spare was not an easy target. Having said that, there are some regrets,” said Spalletti.
“We did get some great victories in difficult games and those must be balanced with those matches where we weren’t up to our potential.
“I was the one who talked about the Scudetto to raise the bar for the lads, but winning a game in today’s atmosphere, with part of the crowd protesting, is something that disappoints me considering all the players have done this season.
“It almost feels like it’s a success to be where Roma, Atalanta or Lazio are, whereas Napoli are treated as a failure, but that is not the case. It’s disappointing this game is being played at our expense, creating expectations and declaring insufficient results.”
Mertens told DAZN after this game that Napoli were ‘not inferior’ to Milan and Inter, which made him feel more upset at falling out of the Scudetto race.
“In some moments we showed these teams were not stronger than Napoli, in other moments they were,” replied Spalletti.
“Napoli had not been in these spots for two years, we dropped some results along the way, but it’s not right to give zero credit for what has been achieved with three rounds to spare. That is a symptom of the excessive pressure put on this squad.
“If we qualify for the Champions League, we will quite rightly celebrate that achievement.”
Spalletti then hit out at certain sections of the media who keep bringing back situations from his past at Roma, Inter and even Sampdoria.
“Journalists who have no ideas and no quality in their writing decide to fill up space they will go back to dig up dirt from years ago, back to Francesco Totti, Mauro Icardi and who knows what else. They even create hypothetical rows in the dressing room, anything to fill up the space.”
The coach also spoke at a press conference and further focused his aim.
“I see bad faith in some of the reporting around me and Napoli. You are trying to obscure the great result of Champions League qualification by making it all about the Scudetto.
“It’s true we dropped points against Empoli, but just as true that we won where Napoli had not won for years. The team did not deserve to play in this atmosphere.
“I have no regrets, the team did what it needed to and achieved a great result.”
LIVE TMW – Napoli, Spalletti: “Vedo malafede, si vuole oscurare l’obiettivo Champions” https://t.co/rBxdQdAuXW
— TUTTOmercatoWEB (@TuttoMercatoWeb) April 30, 2022
I don’t know what this clown is harping about. He’s won nothing. They got into the CL, which they will never win. They had a chance to win the Scudetto but blew that also. Congratulations, you guys continue as perennial loosers in all competitions year after year.
This guy is such a loser how does he keep getting top jobs. He’s never won anything and always fails spectacularly in big games. His body language is always negative like he’s been robbed or cheated. Napoli squad more than good enough to win scudetto this year
Above comments i do not onderstand Napoli for years play some of the best football in Italy also they run the club very well nog spend as much on transfers and salaries as Milan juve Inter and they still up there Napoli is An example….
Spalletti is an arrogant fool
@Art, their salary is much more than that of Milan. 3rd place is not bad, however.