After Massimiliano Allegri, also Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti previewed the game against Juventus: “You dream about these great rivalry matches since you are a child. The players are eager, and we are in excellent shape. It is clear that long flights create some issues. This situation must be fixed, as it will affect this matchday and penalize several sides. It is like going to a theater and not seeing the best actors.”
“Stanislav Lobotka is hurt, while it will be a late call on Piotr Zielinski and others. Dries Mertens and Faouzi Ghoulam have been practicing, but they are not ready to make the squad list. If Napoli really want to grow, we need to have the right mentality every day. I often said that it is pivotal to have a complete roster, as we knew some emergency situations could arise. There are some bureaucratic issues for the Leicester match, and we hope they find a solution.”
“The fact that Juventus started poorly creates a disadvantage to us. Victories spoil you, while defeats make you grow. They will be looking to bounce back in this round.”
Spalletti dished on the most recent newcomer Franck André Zambo Aguissa: “He is a high-quality player, and he made that clear right away. He will be very useful as he has different characteristics from our other options. The midfield is complete with him, and he will start tomorrow. We probably will play with two men after having three in the first two rounds, but our contributors can easily adapt.”
“I expect different tactical solutions from Juventus, as usual. Games can change quickly in modern football, and we have to be able to adjust immediately. We have more physicality now, but technique, stamina, and organization are important too.”