Napoli-Roma, Spalletti: “Won thanks to the exchanges. What did I give Mou? A Pulcinella…”

Another shot with a view of the Scudetto. Napoli stretches again, the margin on their rivals goes to thirteen points. As in Milan in the direct clash against the Rossoneri, it was Giovanni Simeone who scored a very heavy success from the bench. Luciano Spalletti starts from the application of such a deep squad, in the analysis of the challenge. “These matches are won if we are all determined, from the warehouseman to the last one on the bench. They are complicated matches, but those who entered showed that they were practically already playing, they were already in with their heads, and it is a fundamental quality for our team, because without such intensity and such enthusiasm it is difficult to bring these championships home . They can’t always play the usual ones, forgetting the weekly work of others. We must take into account the desire to make ourselves available, giving the opportunity to demonstrate. At the beginning of the year, Raspadori and Simeone put us in a position to also go through to the Champions League round when Osimhen was injured. With five changes, anyone can be replaced and make a contribution.”

THE KEYS

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The coach, however, did not say he was entirely satisfied with the performance. In his opinion, something was missing in the possession phase. “We had less quality than usual in getting the ball around, compared to our possibilities – he continued – Roma were facilitated in the pressure in this way, always staying in numerical parity. We served Osimhen badly and he wasn’t too good at finding space in speed, but he scored a beautiful goal. There’s everything: quality and personality, with those dribbles and then the cannon shot, he’s physically strong and it’s difficult to deal with from this point of view, because he knows how to tackle, chase and do aerial duels. Having the outside defense very open against a five-man lineup is done in such a way that the three opposing central players have to take on the three forwards in marking. If you manage to find the opposite winger, the opponents don’t have time to climb and so you can sink right up to the edge of the area”. Mourinho has revealed that he received a gift from Spalletti for his 60th birthday, celebrated last Thursday, but that he still doesn’t know what it consisted of. This is how the Napoli coach revealed it: “He is a puffin. I gave it to all the coaches of the Champions League teams we faced.”