The Napoli coach: “A very difficult match awaits us in Turin, we will face a complicated opponent, asphyxiating in everything he does. It could happen that there are some different starters, I have almost the whole team available, but Raspadori won’t recover. My future? If I think about my team, I’d like to live this reality forever.”
ALL PROBABLE FORMATIONS
Champions quarter-finals reached, draw made: there will be Milan on the road to Naples in an all-Italian derby. Three cross-matches against the Rossoneri in the space of sixteen days, first the 28th of the championship, then a European round trip. But the concentration is all on the 27th round, the next one, with Napoli away in Turin against Toro. Strengthened by its advantage over the pursuers, the current +18.
Is it the best moment of your career?
“I try to optimize the time that passes because one day we will be judged for the professionalism and seriousness shown in dealing with things. I know that I have to value all the opportunities that pass before me because as a coach I don’t have a lot of time being 64 years old. And I am willing to do anything for Napoli to be able to enhance the events ahead of us.”
Unrepeatable vintage?
“What will come in the future is unrepeatable, what happens to us now is real and must be used to always improve. You must never stop, you must dig deeper and deeper to get the most”.
When you think about your future what do you imagine?
“I don’t know, I prefer not to make calculations or distant projections. I live in the present, you have to concentrate and take advantage of the moment you are living. In football, assessments can change every day. You must always try to improve. If I think of the commitment and professionalism of my team, I would like to live this reality forever. After all, what matters is how much you loved what you experienced and how much you were loved”.
after the draws
Spalletti: “I’d rather not meet Italians”
On the away match with Turin
“A very difficult match awaits us in Turin. They won’t change their attitude, they are having a great championship. We will face a complicated opponent, asphyxiating in everything they do, it will become fun for them not to let you play cleanly”.
The relationship with Juric
“I’ve also had discussions with Juric sometimes but there’s always been great esteem for the quality of his work and his commitment. You can see that he too thinks about his job and what he has to do with his team.”
Who plays for Turin?
“It could happen that there are some different starters, I have the whole team at my disposal from a physical and mental point of view. Let’s think one game at a time”. But for us it doesn’t change much because we have to do well what we know how to put on the pitch, thinking one game at a time. Always one at a time, then they’ll do the math. Any rotations could depend on the individual’s physical and mental condition, but I honestly don’t have the fear of making the wrong choices, because whichever man chooses is perfectly fine. I have a group of exceptional guys who are ready to play at any moment”
Will there be any new starters tomorrow, also in view of the upcoming matches between the league and the Champions League?
“I don’t like talking about future matches, I want to stay on the match that’s coming. If someone tells you that you’re already thinking about the next match, it puts you in trouble for the match you’re about to play. Something different tomorrow maybe we’ll see but I can’t tell you much yet. I prefer to talk and hug my players first as I always do.”
His Raspadori and his Ndombélé
“Raspadori won’t recover and won’t even go to the national team. He’s working to get back to his best. Ndombélé is a strong player. He has strength, engine and technique. I like him.”
On the fans
“For us it is essential to find our fans, they are an important support. The team with its fans in the stands feels stronger”.