Luciano Spalletti has won all seven Serie A games in charge of Napoli, but admits the 2-1 victory away to Fiorentina was ‘below our capabilities.’

The Partenopei have stuttered in the Europa League, but remain unstoppable domestically with Hirving Lozano on the rebound from a parried Lorenzo Insigne penalty and Amir Rrahmani diving header.

Serie A | Fiorentina 1-2 Napoli: Seven out of seven for Spalletti

“It’s not easy when you are against a team that has your same system and goes one-on-one all over the pitch,” Spalletti told DAZN.

“We are still struggling physically in those situations, but have quick strikers who are difficult to catch when they get going.

“Unfortunately, or fortunately, having five substitutions means games last longer and 2-0 doesn’t feel like a safe lead. If you’re on the losing side, those substitutions can change the game.”

Lucas Martinez-Quarta had put Fiorentina in front at the Stadio Franchi.

“We played below our capabilities, because in the second half we never gave Dries Mertens or Andrea Petagna decent service. We controlled the second half and I replaced Anguissa because he prefers to play in a three-man midfield, while we struggled on the long ball to Dusan Vlahovic.

“The midfield didn’t manage to help the defence much, so Rrahmani and Kalidou Koulibaly often had to sort it out themselves. Riccardo Sottil caused us a lot of problems when he came on, I was impressed by his pace, but at the same time we could’ve scored another for 3-1.”

Napoli have won all seven of their Serie A games so far this season, but their coach is far from satisfied.

“We must learn to win even when we suffer, more so than this match. This was a deserved victory, there will be tougher tests.”

The winner was a cheeky free kick routine with Piotr Zielinski pretending to walk away, only to then whip it in for Rrahmani’s header.

“Borussia Dortmund did something similar and our match analyst showed it to us, it’s a pretty easy technique to use.”

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