Luciano Spalletti confirmed that Victor Osimhen is training again and plans to have him ready for the Champions League match against Milan. The Partenopei are closing in on a historic Serie A title and face Verona at the Stadio Maradona later today, where a win would bring them a step closer. Speaking in his pre-match press conference (as quoted by Tuttonapoli) Spalletti offered an update on the fitness of certain players, explained why squad turnover will help them close out the season and why he wants to bring everyone together inside their collective love for Napoli:
Osimhen trained with the group, will he be called up?
“The conditions are good, we had a meeting with the doctors this morning and the natural consequence of everything is to summon him for Verona. He will be part of the squad, but then the goal is to arrive as best as possible at Milan, but he will be on the bench.”
Reasoned turnover or something more?
“Whoever plays against Verona has to do so knowing that he is playing in one of the most important games, but then something is changed in the team. I don’t know what is reasoned or not, not swapping 10 players … but for example Kim we want to start him because he doesn’t play on Tuesday. Someone has to recover, the physical and mental stress is too close.”
How satisfied are you with the 10-man adjustment?
“It was the debut in the quarterfinals, everyone talked about team nervousness, I would talk about maturity during the match, the attitude we had, just the opposite, there is an important growth because a team cannot be lucid and at the same time dangerous in 10 men against a team used to that level of important matches for the history they have. We had correct attitudes, the search to put right those things that took away from us. Even in personality I see improvements there.”
Your strong words about the fans have stirred something.
“If they turn Spalletti against his fans something strong comes out, but mine was an invitation to remain united, compact, coming guided by the love for Naples. Then I don’t go into the contrasts that there are, but I think it is incomprehensible at this moment to deprive this group of the support it needs after all the extraordinary games it has played. It is a fundamental help for us to have the public by our side, last year there was contestation when we got out of the Scudetto fight and now that we have it within reach we don’t care? I don’t know whose fault it is, the responsibilities, the history, but it is clear to me that now is the time to get lost inside the love for Napoli. To let go inside the love.”
How can you not think about Milan?
“Verona is doubly important, if we manage to win it we are only 3 away from the title. We need 4, if we win with Verona we are closer and I see no reason not to think about that and think about Tuesday. Inside our eyes we have to have the picture of the beauty in front of us, we don’t have to carry too much thinking around. But we also have to arrive well at Tuesday, to understand the importance we have to jump back to when I arrived and the match with Verona symbolized one of the lowest points in the history of Napoli, now it can be the highest point for the history of the club!”
The pitfalls with Verona?
“It’s a well-coached team, they come at you physically, it’s a team that will test you on the level of battle for 95 minutes, they have motivation in spades because of where they are in the table, having a roster superior to that ranking there, they did well in the previous game winning deservedly, in the videos we’ve seen they put a lot of opponents in trouble, even Juventus recently, but our motivation is strong.”
How are Di Lorenzo and Lobotka doing? Will they have a turn to rest?
“They are both fine, evaluating the engine of one and the other. I think if I have to think more about one to get minutes back, it’s more Lobotka than Di Lorenzo, but the other one also deserves to take a breather.”
On preparing for the game before the Champions League and then Milan.
“The team is mature in lining up the things in front of them, we have a beautiful picture in front of us of what lies ahead, we have a chance to go even closer to this Scudetto, we have the return of the Champions League coming next and for what were the results of the first leg it is the one most in the balance of all because the others are already outlined and if we repeat a performance of our level anything can happen, they have to think about repeating the test of that level there and everything is possible.”
Napoli in the quarter final seemed to be better than Milan.
“Yes, with 10 men, inside the bedlam of the stadium, under the score, many qualities of our team were seen and in general the test gives us hope. We will miss two quality players, but I know the team and they will give a level performance. Having done the necessary calculations, we are convinced that we will play our chances.”
How is Raspadori? Can he handle 90′? Will Osimhen see him a few minutes?
“He is coming from a long injury, we threw him back in out of necessity but he still needed a few days, but we thank him for his availability, he gave us everything he has, 90 is too many and if we needed 20′ of Osimhen we could evaluate him.”
“Usually it is always the last key in the deck that opens the doors, there can be the solution always to everything that happens, then I have a strong team and I say it again, not only in the 11 but also in those who have played less. Against Verona using someone who has played less we can confirm this thought of mine.”
Georgian reporter: tired team due to low turnover?
“I don’t know, if I compare with the others we have won the most. Someone can be tired sometimes, but in the choices we have always drawn well, made good performances and wins, in this competition here a little bit we have to be careful because there are few hours and something will change. Kvaratskhelia may be starting from the bench and then he may be able to be used to get him reduced minutes, or not, these are all evaluations … you wanted to ask me this about Kvara?”
Who will play center forward? Will Meret also rest?
“Yes, Raspadori plays up front. Meret struggles less, he’s a goalkeeper, but here it’s more particular the discussion because there are other evaluations to be made and this one I won’t tell you.”
