Luciano Spalletti admits Napoli ‘passed it around in the messiest way yet’ and lacked ‘quality’ during the surprise home defeat to Lazio, but ‘nobody has taken their hands off the wheel.’
The Partenopei had lost only one Serie A game this season, 1-0 away to Inter on January 4, but were stunned by their former coach at the Stadio Maradona this evening.
Kvicha Kvaratskhelia’s headed clearance was thumped home on the half-volley by Matias Vecino to decide the match, although there had already been warning signs with Giovanni Di Lorenzo clearing Vecino’s header off the line.
Both teams also rattled the woodwork with Victor Osimhen’s header and a Sergej Milinkovic-Savic free kick.
“There just wasn’t enough quality. We passed it around in the messiest way yet, we rushed moves down the flanks where they were allowing us more movement,” Spalletti told DAZN.
“After doing it three or four times, we had the chance to go into the centre, but we lacked patience and didn’t attempt enough passes to free the midfielder. The midfield was the key to this game, for both teams.”
The coach was asked what he had told the squad at half-time, when it was already looking frustrating.
“We tried to do the same things with more quality, because the options were there to release Lobotka and create chances. Even if we did it better in the second half, the quality was still not good enough. When Lazio pulled their wide strikers back, we had the chance to get around their defence, but again lacked quality in our passing.
“This is how I expected Lazio to play, they often remain in a block to defend, but we made the worst choices of the season. On the positive side, I saw hunger, determination and humility from my players, I saw no arrogance or presumption.
“Lazio defended well, were fortunate on the crossbar and great save, while we were naïve with the clearance to the edge of the area for Vecino’s shot. He found that tiny gap between Rrahmani and the post, so congratulations to Vecino for that finish.”
This ended a run of eight consecutive Serie A victories for Napoli, the last four without conceding a single goal.
They had not lost at home in the league since April 2022 against Fiorentina, so almost a full year, although they were knocked out of the Coppa Italia here by Cremonese on penalties.
“From what I saw of the attitude and the disappointment when we got back into the locker room, it was a game that went a bit wrong, but nobody here has taken their hands off the wheel.”