Luciano Spalletti confirms Victor Osimhen is still out of action as Napoli face Cremonese, but he wants to keep his team fully focused after their 6-1 Champions League victory over Ajax. ‘There is no euphoria.’
It kicks off on Sunday at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT).
Osimhen is the only absentee and was again training only partly with the rest of his teammates today, as he recovers from a muscular strain.
“We work with the medical staff and don’t want to take any risks. Osimhen will be back only when he’s in good shape, so we decided together to give him another round off,” said Spalletti in his press conference.
“He could come on the bench tomorrow, but what for? Instead, he’ll train hard and be ready for next week.”
The coach tried his best to dampen the enthusiasm around the squad after the 6-1 triumph in Amsterdam, but it has to be a huge confidence-booster.
“These players are giving their heart and soul to transform what we do in training onto the match situation and the job is the same as a Neapolitan child watching this team. We want to do everything possible to make this dream as real as possible and make it last as long as possible.
“There is no euphoria in the locker room, a tendency to be excessively excited, but rather the awareness we are doing something important here. I don’t see excessive euphoria in the Neapolitan people in the city either, as everyone knows we need to maintain clear heads and consistency.
“The environment around the team is a mature one, it is all going according to plan.”
It is not just the results that have impressed about this Napoli side, but also the sheer style of their performances, tearing the likes of Liverpool and Ajax to shreds.
“We are playing good football and it includes an individual player, but also the movement, sacrifice for their teammates, working as a team. You in the media want some invincible player who saves everyone, but the team at time creates goals with collective behaviour and that is our Napoli.
“It is important to experience positive moments, but also work hard because there are always going to be unexpected developments and we need to be ready.”
Cremonese are newly-promoted to Serie A and their results have not matched the level of performance so far, something Spalletti is acutely aware of.
“Massimiliano Alvini is someone I know well, the stands used to be full of other coaches watching what he did in training, so don’t be fooled by the sweet smile, he’s smart and really sharp. He always said he wanted to face me on the pitch and I am the one fortunate to be coaching in the same division as him now.”
Spalletti confirmed Piotr Zielinski is available, despite going off at half-time in Amsterdam with a slight muscular twinge.