Following the Partenopei’s exit from the Europa League after their 4-2 defeat at the Camp Nou against the La Liga giants Barcelona , Napoli are set to face Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow evening in a crucial fixture within the race for the Serie A title.
As it stands, the Azzurri sit in third with a total of of 54 points. With both Milanese clubs sharing spoils with the likes of Udinese and Genoa, Spalletti’s men must secure all three points in order to leap into first and keep their Scudetto aspirations alive.
However, the Italian tactician is well aware that obtaining a victory will be very difficult as the Biancocelesti must also seal three vital points in order to keep themselves on course for an Europa League qualifying-spot.
Prior to the fixture, Spalletti spoke to the press this afternoon about the difficult moment that his side find themselves in after their devastating loss to the Blaugrana:
“We had some difficulties and said it, but we never stopped. I am the generator of the team and it works perfectly for me. Everyone who was involved in this poor performance scored both goals in a short time. It is. Something to review but it also depends on my requests. If we go to what Below the quality threshold, we risk it. Then some of my choices, such as the corner kick scheme that was my request, plus the proactive attitude in the second the goal is to guide me, we missed some disposition in that choice, but it was me, this match can give us a lot, but we have to play bravely, then the difference between home and away with Barcelona is in these two goals.”
In addition, the gaffer discussed about his emotional state regarding Napoli’s placement within next year’s Champions League:
“We never hit him, just because we haven’t hit anything yet. If you get off the train for the Scudetto, you have to look behind you, because they are all there. Anyway, the only possible strategy is to score as many points as possible, both for the Scudetto and for my league Heroes. It is too bad to allude to complacency, if De Laurentiis realizes it, he overturns everything. There can be no complacency, and we think of him as our chief. Everyone.”
Finally, the Italian tactician described what it means to him to be facing Maurizio Sarri on Sunday evening:
“He has a special weight if you want to stick with what he did in Napoli, he made the team play like anyone ever did. For those who have tried it, the memory comes back to the surface, but then it is an opponent that is a team that plays good football and, as it has already happened, Napoli can face it and put it in a difficult situation, like everyone else. Divide. We must be Napoli, a team that never gives up.”
With so many factors on the line ahead of this critical fixture, all eyes will be on the Stadio Olimpico to witness how these exhilarating series of events unfold.