Luciano Spalletti is not feeling the nerves ahead of Napoli’s decisive Serie A match against league leaders Inter.
The Partenopei currently sit second in the league table, one point behind Simone Inzaghi’s side, and a win against them tomorrow would see them rise to the top, although it’s important to remember that the Nerazzurri still have a game in hand following the postponement of the match against Bologna.
Speaking in a press conference today, Spalletti first discussed if Kalidou Koulibaly will play tomorrow following his recent Africa Cup of Nations victory with Senegal.
“I think it’s disrespectful to those who would have to make room for him if I were to play him from the first minute. Clearly he’s a different player. You only have to see what he did in the final, he went to talk to his opponents first.
“It’s the depth of the man that comes out, even before the player. From my point of view it’s easy because whatever I choose will be the right one because everyone did well without him. We’ll clear up any doubts about the line-up tomorrow.”
He commented on the importance of tomorrow’s match in the title race this season.
“It’s good to point out that our aim was to get behind some of the strongest players in the league to be in the top four and enter the next Champions League. We know that by winning this game we would be catapulted towards another objective.
“It’s cool, it’s made us spend a week with a smile on our face and that smile has been maintained through the night while we slept, without realising it. We love being in this position because we do this job.”
The Napoli coach highlighted the incredible focus and mindset of his squad.
“When we had difficulties we were able and focused to keep our backs straight on what must be our job, our behaviour. Then manage to bring home as many points as possible. But it always depends on what you do day after day.
“Every time there is something up for grabs so that you are ready at the end of the week to play the games. We have a squad that even if it changes by a few elements, the players know how to do it themselves.
“Even during the Juventus week when they said they wanted to postpone that game, they showed me they had the desire to take the field. They played it and gave a great performance and brought home the result. There are great people behind these players, a fantastic group who have shown over the years that they care about the shirt. They got less than they deserved.”
Spalletti noted that he was not looking to take revenge on Inter tomorrow – he previously spent two years in charge of the Nerazzurri, from 2017 to 2019.
“I have no personal revenge to take. I know the right way to work, I have to be lucky to find players who think the same way to make me look good. This is an important match. The importance of a match like this is equivalent to the time it took previously to get there.
“There’s the effort made in Dimaro, the plays in Castel di Sangro, we started from there. You see those periods in matches like this. We’re very keen on it, as it should be. For me it won’t be a revenge, a revenge because I left some players that I respect so much.”
He highlighted the many strengths of the Nerazzurri.
“We have often spoken about the condominium and they are the administrators. It is not by chance that they are the reigning champions. We will find them furious following the defeat in the derby, the teams of the best breed hate to lose.
“We respect them but it must not change our name and our attitude. I told the team this morning that we’ll have to be good at playing the Inter game as if it were the Venice game. The attitude must not change, the respect towards the people who love us, who will come to support us tomorrow.
“We can’t betray them, we’ll have to show our usual quality. I expect the Inter team I know, they have some characteristics in which they’re stronger, we have others in which we’re stronger. We’ll have to see who manages to focus and exploit their strengths.”
He looked back at the first meeting with Inter this season, where Napoli lost 3-2.
“There was a fundamental passage, when we tried to reorganize the team after the 2-1, we took the counter-attack of the 3-1. That made the difference. We lost a few too many balls. In that game there the team didn’t bring the talk to our characteristics.
“If you look at the second balls they have more physicality than us. If, on the other hand, we focus on order and make up for their flashes with fast players on the wings, an interesting argument emerges. We managed less well than we know how to do.”
The former Inter and Roma coach touched on the importance of maintaining consistency.
“We have to keep our composure to call up the quality we have. We can be fierce up to a certain point because we don’t have that kind of characteristics, also physical. Inter in some moments of the match are more fierce, they come at us in a more powerful way.
“I have that match clearly in my head, to analyse this match we looked at the first meeting, not just the derby. It’s about our ability, to bring out our best characteristic, which is to make more possession without forgetting to go beyond the defensive line.”
Spalletti discussed the various elements at play in the match.
“They were aggressive and bad, we were calm and strong. Politano said the right things, we need balance in all situations. Hotheadedness, with your brain switched on you go further. Especially in games where a play can make the difference.
“We’re not called Napoli by chance, we’re called Napoli because we have to have above-average quality that makes people talk about us. I’m also talking about the city and we have to bring it back into football.”
The Napoli coach wanted his players to have a certain type of spirit.
“We need cazzimma, it is one of the most recognised things in football. It is a Neapolitan term and there are several that make the idea and we could bring them into the vocabulary. We need that too, the thought of the same thing as all those people who love these colours and love us.
“Above all, we have to give something back to them in terms of the affection we receive. Knowing that the stadium will be full fills us with joy, but also with difficulty because we want to show that we deserve their support.
“It has to be said that in these periods we are in difficulty because of COVID. Everyone highlights the difficulties without doing anything but this time the club has thought about it, De Laurentiis has drastically lowered the prices understanding the difficulties of the people.
“I am convinced that this will be the right choice to regroup our enthusiasm and to have further strength when the capacity of the stadium will be enlarged.”
He touched on the importance of having a strong squad.
“We always have the same goal, to be the best Napoli team regardless of who we have available. If we have a few more players at our disposal, the important thing is to have five replacements we can exploit. It’s good to have strong players.”
Spalletti discussed the growth of various members of his squad.
“In the last game the growth of Fabián Ruiz and Zielinski didn’t impress like I expect them to do tomorrow against Inter. They are two who can make a contribution, they know football. Both of them, at certain times, can give the impetus, the burst of choice that makes you find the solution.
“They are two strong players. Also Mertens, I’d put Insigne and Lobotka in there. Let’s leave Di Lorenzo aside because he’s always like that, he’s not news anymore. He comes into training and attacks everyone in the corridor!”
Finally, Spalletti discussed Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen.
“To dribble well you need a lot of people around the ball, it has to be a versatile team that knows how to manage the space on the pitch well.
“Then you need someone to do different things, attacking the depth and Osimhen is fundamental for us because of his characteristics. Everyone tends to come against the ball and play it, but he has the ability to throw himself into space.”
#Spalletti: '#Inter furiosa, ma noi abbiamo la cazzimma! #MarioRui un professore, #Koulibaly? Lo gestirò così…' https://t.co/oOb9s1YHxp pic.twitter.com/6RVt0XngX7
— calciomercato.com (@cmdotcom) February 11, 2022