Naples and the K factor: after Koulibaly there are Kim and Kvaratskhelia

The K factor at Napoli continues to have its own importance. Because if Monday in Verona will be the first without Kalidou Koulibaly, the insurmountable K2, it is also true that it will be the starting debut of the Korean Kim Min jae and also that of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the Georgian playmaker. They will be the only news for Luciano Spalletti in this first of the championship, for the rest it will be a tried and tested Napoli “who knows the game geometry by heart”.

THE COMPANY OF KIM

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It will not be easy for the Korean arrived from Fenerbahce to replace a totem like Koulibaly, who has already become a pivot of Chelsea. Kim still has physical strength, good technique and above all a lot of determination to put on the field. Upon arrival at the retreat in Castel di Sangro he amazed the whole environment, dragging everyone to dinner to sing the old Gangnam style catchphrase, showing empathy and personality despite the obvious initial difficulties with the language. But Spalletti himself told an anecdote of the Asian central who repeated the key words in the movements of the defensive line: “get in, run away, stop”. In short, Kim wants to quickly understand Italian and its league.

KVARADONA

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The nickname given to him by some Neapolitan fans upon his arrival could frighten a 21-year-old boy who comes from Georgia. But Kvaratskhelia likes challenges. Of course, August football stimulates dreams that are not always reflected in reality, but this offensive winger seems to have technically important characteristics to become a champion in Italy too. His ease in jumping the man will have to pass through the verification of our super tactical championship, but Spalletti’s lessons seem to be carefully received by Kvara. To him the thankless task of replacing captain Lorenzo Insigne. Less ball carrier than the blue, the Georgian knows how to give speed and depth to the action. Just what Spalletti asks of his renewed 4-3-3. So from K2 to double Kim and Kvaratskhelia, we’ll see if Napoli will always be competitive thanks to this k factor.