Luciano Spalletti praises his Napoli squad for a run of 13 wins in a row after hammering Sassuolo 4-0 and isn’t interested in whether he ought to get more credit from Italian and European media.
The Partenopei put together a 13th consecutive victory in all competitions, sweeping Sassuolo aside at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Victor Osimhen was the hat-trick hero, while Kvicha Kvaratskhelia scored one and provided two assists.
It’s not just the number of wins achieved, but the fact they have scored 50 goals in just 17 competitive matches this season.
“We need to applaud the squad for this run of results, because it is difficult to keep giving more every time, especially when the opponents prepare for you with double the usual focus. So I thank them, they truly deserve a lot of praise,” Spalletti told DAZN.
“As for today, I think we allowed Sassuolo too many chances. We took the 2-0 lead early and then perhaps we lost our usual precision, so even though we had the game in hand, it wasn’t the same quality, and that is a risk because a moment can turn things around. We must always have the same attitude.
“This is a group of real professionals, lads who enjoy their football and at the same time want to always go for the victory, who train really hard and with concentration. That is the key, wanting to find even more impressive passing lines than others are not able to see.”
Spalletti has said this season that regular tactics no longer apply, because the players are told to find their own space.
“It all depends on the quality of the players. Constantly seeking the space and using it to score goals, that isn’t always in the same spot. It’s about timing, following the path of the ball, intuition and the genius of seeing those opportunities earlier than anyone else.”
Kvaratskhelia can play on the right or left, is two-footed, provides goals and assists, so where can he still improve?
“He knows how to do everything, he is a very nice boy, he chased down his opponent today and covered well. He’s perfect. Sometimes strikers do not realise the importance of recovering a run or covering a space, but it can do so much for their teammates.”
Spalletti is in charge of the form team in Europe right now, yet the coach doesn’t get the kind of kudos that other tacticians around Europe have, even if they aren’t getting his results. Does Spalletti think he deserves more attention?
“I don’t know, I don’t see the problem. Everyone ultimately deserves what they have proved. Some get better press than others, depending also on the rapport they have with the commentators and critics. I don’t really have time for that sort of thing.”
Next week is the tricky trip to Atalanta in Bergamo, another big test of Napoli’s Scudetto credentials.
“That is probably the most difficult match so far, and if we get a result there it will be even more important, because so few emerge from there with full points. Against the qualities of that team, it is really difficult.”
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