Napoli, Spalletti on the eve of the match against Atalanta

Spalletti is the first in the standings, looking forward with optimism even if on Saturday against Atalanta he will have to give up 5 indisputable starters. Because Anguissa, Osimhen and Koulibaly were joined by the unavailability of Fabian Ruiz and Insigne. “You choose with those who remain. This squad has shown in the difficulties how much this shirt is dear to it. There is no better time than when you can play. Now we will understand if we let ourselves be intimidated or if we take advantage of the opportunities. It must be kept in mind as an obsession that we are the means to achieve happiness. Now it’s up to us to prove that we have this power. We are in a storm because in addition to injuries there is also Covid, with players returning but still having physical problems “.

The challenge with Bergamo

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Here Spalletti throws a dig at his colleague Gasperini: “Atalanta is an uncomfortable customer because it is built well. I’m talking about strong squad but someone doesn’t say it… I like everything about Gasperini’s football. As a setting, he was the first to take this path. And where Atalanta has led is there for all to see. He can aspire to the Scudetto. Favorite them? I don’t give a damn, I count on my players and I hope to win ”.

Antidotes

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The coach explained tactically: “We need to channel possession on our tracks, because otherwise they win on duels. It passes since you have the ball. Atalanta is a tough team that knows where they want to go. We can annoy him. But the game or you lead it holding the ball, but if you are an Atalanta passenger it ends badly. On our track it is precisely the possession of the ball and the quality of the same. Because if they manage it they have this width of the ball, then they close the action well in the penalty area and they are very good at filling the area ”.

Upload the environment

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Spalletti tries to recreate the magical atmosphere of last Sunday against Lazio, with the stadium full of enthusiasm. “It becomes fundamental for us. I spoke to our president De Laurentiis and he is very keen to fill it. They are working to fill it more and more. The footballers feel this push. On the field Mertens is the captain. He will be the one to show us the way. We are able to send 16 players onto the field and therefore we can do what we want. Even if we miss Captain and Commander we have many high officers. People like Mertens, Di Lorenzo, Mario Rui and others with personality and pride in this shirt ”. He also tells one of the speeches he made to the team: “Someone would like to put us in a different position also in the standings, but I reminded the boys how much good they have done so far and that they do not allow this situation to be reversed. Mental coach? You try to do everything, I would not like to have a psychologist by my side, even if they are great professionals. Nice to be direct with the team. And I’m sorry not to be able to sit on the bench, I can hardly bear it. When I spend meetings with my parents on the behavior we must have on the bench, asking them for a certain behavior, without accepting provocations, and then I’m wrong. For this I will have to pay the fine to the team. You have to know how to hold back, even when you suffer something unfair ”.

On the full calendar

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Spalletti’s reasoning: “We need to put the players in the conditions to recover physically but also mentally, in this complexity of dates. I happen to bring the team home from an away game, let them rest for two days and put them back on the pitch without a proper training. We are not robots, but here we are faced with high quality professionals ”.