Napoli boss Luciano Spaletti can’t choose between Serie A and the Champions League success and wants both
Spaletti has backed his team to compete on two fronts, aiming for both Serie A and the Champions League glory in the final months of the season.
Flying high Napoli can deliver on two fronts
Napoli are currently 16 points off of the second-placed Inter who have a game in hand with AC Milan today. The scudetto glory seems to be at hand for Spaletti and his men but it seems that it isn’t enough for them as Spaletti wants Champions League success as well.
This would be Napoli’s third-ever scudetto but Spaletti wants to move past Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League last-16 round and test their mettle against the bigger teams in Europe.
“There are moments in life when results are achieved and in those moments you either settle or try to double down,” Spaletti told Sky Sport Italia.
“We have no doubts, we’ve decided to double down.
“We go and play the matches trying to do something for the love of the fans, for the people who were perhaps even today at home praying for us because they love us. We must be proud of that.”
Napoli’s 3-0 win against Spezia on Sunday was largely due to two of their best players, Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia, who have been pillars of Napoli’s success throughout the season. While Kvaratskhelia has scored 10 and assisted 12 times, Osimhen has scored 16 goals. But even they weren’t exempt from a scolding from Spaletti today.
“It was because we need their quality, their inspiration, their imagination,” Spalletti said. “When the matches flatten out, they are the ones who can make the difference and open the way.
“You have to find the first striker, play it out wide to open up the channels. Just moving it around isn’t enough.
“The pitch was very difficult, dry underneath, it wasn’t easy to find the rhythm we’re used to, so sometimes you have to play direct to Osimhen, making the most of the fact he’s really strong from a physical point of view.”
