Napoli, Spalletti: “Gasperini a terrible veteran, but we are even stronger after Liverpool”

NAPLES – Without haste, but without pauses. Luciano Spalletti met Rafa Benitez during his trip to England and “stole” his favorite motto, to give the charge to Napoli on the eve of the match in Bergamo: second away match for the Azzurri in the space of five days. “The risks are many, our opponent is called Atalanta. We will need to be aware that we are a strong team, even if we have already come out with more certainties in our means from Anfield. Gasperini is a terrible veteran, to counteract the his players will need quality and physical strength “, said the Tuscan coach, allowing himself just a moment of distraction to take stock of the Champions draw. “We will be ready to confront any opponent, we don’t like playing easy games”.

“The stop for the World Cup? I don’t see any advantages or disadvantages”

Is Spalletti confident in his Napoli and has he made it clear that he is not even afraid of the imminent stop for the World Cup? “I don’t see any disadvantages or advantages. Someone will have some more players in Qatar, others less. Those who go to the national team will remain in better shape and in any case individual evaluations will have to be made. We are not worried about this period of stoppage, we have a healthy team and players who know how to manage themselves. To be one hundred percent professional you must always have a correct behavior off the pitch. Many of mine are their own first coaches “, said the Tuscan coach, showing confidence for the challenge with the ‘Atalanta. “You have to take respect for your opponents when you go to play a match of this level. Nobody gives it to you and that’s why I had some fears before Anfield: I had already been there and Liverpool are one of the teams that we observe constantly, considering them a point of reference. The players were good at demanding this respect from the Reds, then we conceded something with the tranquility of the result already earned. In Bergamo it is a similar test and passing it would be another step forward. I am quite calm, I have seen my group train very well. We have
all the players ready to give the top “.

Liverpool-Napoli 2-0: Spalletti first in the Champions League group, the defeat by Salah-Nunez painless

01 November 2022

“Ready to play even with your face open”

Against Atalanta the best Napoli will be needed and Spalletti is aware of this. “It will be necessary to be able to face the moments of the match correctly, with the changes in progress that will take place. We are ready to play openly, when it happens. The block of the defense is fundamental and covers our backs well. to know how to get by when they are left alone, one on one. Kim shows strength and speed, but he also has cleanliness in the construction of the game. We are convinced that we have a back department that can continue to show good things “, the coach showed confidence blue, without hiding the value of the opponent. “Their football is always evolving, this confirms Gasperini’s qualities. He will have found some corrections, given that they are second with a renewed group. It seems to me the same Atalanta from a point of view of stubbornness and research, it is a team ready to make the collision, with centimeters, race and quality. For us it is even better, we must play at this level, always higher, if we want to real important ambitions. We have to be good at improving ”.

There will be a few changes after Liverpool, with Juan Jesus, Mario Rui, Zielinski and Lozano ready to return. Lobotka, on the other hand, is not touched, even if Spalletti said he also had alternative solutions for him. ‘Demme is the most suitable and I regret having used it little. Ndombele is finding the pace of the match and already at Anfield he showed important solutions. He could also play as play in front of the defense and in that role I’d like to see Gaetano, who also has the right characteristics ”. But it’s not time for experiments, of course. Once the Champions League round is over, it’s up to the championship. “After Liverpool, my team was a bit bitter about the defeat, despite the first place in the group. Nobody wanted to celebrate the milestone, which means they feel they can be worth more and more. It is an important value. We have correctly analyzed what happened and the same goes for me. I learned to isolate myself from victories, but not from defeats. the sprint before the break. “We will change the necessary, without running the risk of lowering the level. We have a strong squad, but in some roles it is right not to rotate ”. Final on the fans, numerous also in Bergamo. “Their passion manages itself. We needed this enthusiasm and this visual presence. Here they can do things that go beyond talent, as they used to say for Maradona. Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia know very well that they can bring happiness to people. and I’m sure they will find solutions to go further and further, dragging their teammates “.