Former Milan and Azzurri coach Arrigo Sacchi believes Atlanta v Napoli will be “an incredibly interesting match for true football lovers”. Speaking with Gazzetta dello Sport, Sacchi has no doubts that the clash at the Maradona Stadium encapsulates the best of what the championship has offered so far:
Conte versus Gasperini, a duel not to be missed. How do you, who knows both men well, view it?
“They are two coaching phenomena who have done, are doing, and will continue to do well for the sport I love. Every day they work to improve themselves, which is a sign of great intelligence.”
Sacchi shares his insights on Antonio Conte:
“When I was the national team coach, I wanted him in the Azzurri. He was a very serious young man, applied himself tremendously, and do you know what he did? After training, he would write down all the exercises we had done. He was a perfectionist, and he has remained so. Probably even then, he knew what he would do when he grew up. The coaching profession was in his blood and in his head.”
On Napoli’s growth under Conte:
“Antonio is a coach who needs to get into the players’ heads. He’s relentless, and he’s proven it: after that defeat, there have been no more performance drops. He takes care of details, takes nothing for granted, knows that in football the technical aspect is important, the tactical aspect too, but the mental approach is fundamental.”
Sacchi explains why Napoli fans love Conte:
“Believe me, they would love him even if he were second or third. Antonio is a guy who gives everything he has. And when someone does their best, you can only thank and praise them. Naples is a complicated place, accustomed to beauty, prone to mood swings. Antonio has enchanted the public with his work, and the same has happened with the players.”
On Napoli’s playing style:
“I love it. I saw the game at San Siro against Milan: Napoli won it without struggling. The difference with the Rossoneri was evident. From the start, Conte’s team found the holes to slip into and did so, while Milan crashed against the opposing defense.”
Regarding Gasperini and Atalanta:
“Gasperini is performing another miracle. He’s third in the standings despite losing important players during the transfer market, and I’m thinking of Koopmeiners, or due to injuries, see Scamacca. Gasperini is a coach who has already gone beyond limits: last season he won the Europa League, which no Italian team had ever conquered, with cutting-edge football.”
On what he likes about Gasperini:
“His seriousness and deep knowledge of football. And let’s not forget that he was the first to bring back the old ‘system’ to Italy, that is, man-to-man marking in every area. He transmits courage, plays across the entire field, and has been doing so for years: he applies the European lesson, which not everyone here has learned yet.”
Sacchi’s prediction for Napoli-Atalanta:
“I’m not a magician and don’t aspire to become one. I just say that anyone who loves football can’t miss this match.”
