Napoli against Milan: Spalletti’s moves and formation

A daisy to leaf through petal after petal until Wednesday and maybe even beyond: Osimhen yes, Osimhen no. It’s useless to hide behind a finger, the balance of this match in the quarterfinals can tip one side or the other on the presence of the Nigerian top scorer in the league and also a protagonist in the Champions League (4 goals like Giroud). Also in yesterday’s training Victor did the session alone in the gym, running on the treadmill. “But one thing is a simple race, another to give body and intensity to the shots”, explains a Luciano Spalletti who is very attentive to every nuance in the work of the centre-forward, who would have wanted to play in Lecce if it were for him. But the whole season is at stake here, a possible – unfortunate – relapse would compromise the rest of the season for the top scorer (25 goals of the season).

The choice

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And since this Napoli will not end up at the San Siro on Wednesday anyway, the protection of the health of the number 9 becomes primary. Better to recover it a week later, because in all likelihood the decisive match for the semifinal will be that of the 18th at the Maradona and the Nigerian should really be there. However, the choice of center forward remains for Spalletti, with Simeone who will certainly be out of the match (exams to assess the extent of the injury to the right thigh flexors are scheduled for next week only) and Raspadori who is not yet at his best but at the moment remains the only one available. Returning to Osimhen, his presence gives Napoli a different impact, considering not only his effectiveness in front of goal, but also his ability to lead the team’s high aggression and that of knowing how to exploit depth in the open field. Napoli will take their exams on Tuesday morning and then decide whether to send the Nigerian to Milan or not.

Continuity

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It’s what Spalletti is looking for in the performance of his team, by far the best of all in Italy and second only to Bayern Munich in the Champions League (8 victories for the Germans against 7 for the Azzurri who however have the best attack). Between Milan and Lecce, beyond the result, there was a notable and evident drop in terms of play. Napoli appears tired in some men and this doesn’t help the complex mechanisms of the game, which include high pace and short distances. But precisely to focus on the quality of the game, the coach has decided to opt for a few changes.

Never more than three

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Compared to the championship match against Milan, Spalletti changed three players in Lecce and more or less these will be the changes he will make for San Siro. Having said the question for the centre-forward, if Olivera will be well, his physicality will probably be preferred in the left lane, compared to Mario Rui’s greater technique. In midfield we will see Zielinski again, who rested in Lecce, while on the right Lozano’s speed will probably be preferred to Politano’s greater coverage capacity. A choice that will become even more probable if Osimhen were to be missing, because due to his characteristics the Mexican guarantees greater depth, the one that Napoli is lacking without the Nigerian up front. But if in a delicate transition – between injuries and drops in form – there is one thing that calms Spalletti, it is his mental strength and group spirit. In Lecce we saw a team that was less brilliant in maneuvering, but still a team: with the right attitudes, with the desire to help their teammate, without ever signs of nervousness or fraying in behaviour. Will it be enough at San Siro to close the first round on a positive note?