Former Udinese manager Fabio Cannavaro believes Napoli are the side that will push Inter the hardest for the Serie A title. The World Cup winner was speaking with La Gazzetta dello Sport about a range of subjects, including the upcoming season, the summer transfer window, and why Napoli signed the best defender this summer:
“Everyone is against Inter, but it won’t be easy to catch them. They have the advantage of not changing anything after winning the Scudetto. Look at what happened to Napoli after Spalletti left?”
How can Inter improve?
“Very difficult, maybe only Dumfries could be replaced. But the formula for success is different: two real starters per role for a very long season.”
Won’t that be a bit predictable?
“Yes, but it will be up to Lautaro and Calhanoglu to provide that extra touch of creativity.”
Who will challenge Inter?
“Napoli if they keep Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia. I studied them closely last year: they’re very strong. Osimhen touches the ball twice and scores three goals, he’s unpredictable, needs fewer chances than Lukaku. Conte always puts players in their place, the added value is Oriali, who will free him from the dirty work, allowing him to focus on the team.”
Very strong yet tenth…
“Everyone should do their job. If someone wants to do everything, that’s when problems arise.”
Napoli more than Juve?
“A new coach, new ideas, the start is reassuring, but when I read they want to sell Chiesa, one of the strongest Italian attackers, I wonder why… But Juve remains Juve, they can’t go long without winning. They’re planning for the future at 360 degrees.”
Is Motta’s revolution applicable to Juve?
“In football, no one invents anything. Those who get the best out of their players are good, the rest is advertising. Motta was great at maximizing a not top-tier group that always played football and enjoyed it. Now he must give the same tranquility to Juve and tune his players to new principles: possession in the opponent’s half, high defense. He has defenders who must play with 50 meters behind them and return quickly.”
Having lost Calafiori, Juve is looking for Todibo.
“I don’t know Todibo. Calafiori is a left-back who has great qualities in setting up play as a center-back, now he needs to confirm himself. The best defender was signed by Napoli: Buongiorno.”
Douglas Luiz, Thuram, maybe Koopmeiners…
“With these, they can trouble everyone even in Europe. With the wingers and midfielders coming in, Vlahovic will score many goals.”
Milan fans are less enthusiastic at the moment.
“Milan is bringing an international concept still not widespread here: buying good players to increase their value, sell them, and self-finance. Especially Americans do this. Fonseca comes from an important school, has a nice playing system but didn’t end well at Roma. I’m curious. Also because Pioli left an important legacy.”
Should he have stayed?
“I don’t know. There’s no rule in football. Even the greats suffer: Mourinho, Allegri, Sarri. There’s more competition, and if one thinks of staying still for years, like in the past, and then reproposing the same ideas, it’s over. You must always study. But there isn’t always logic.”
Are you also referring to Cannavaro who saves Udinese and remains without a team?
“I knew I had six games and I threw myself into the fire. Many couldn’t wait for it to go wrong, now many wonder why I’m not still there. These are choices. A well-prepared Udinese would be 10th/12th and would valorize three or four talents a year. But I’m stubborn, I said no to going abroad, I want to coach in Italy and be on the field 24 hours a day. My future is uphill, but someone has seen how I improved Udinese.”
Your football?
“I like to command, to be aggressive, but it’s the players who allow you certain situations or not. Today there are too many who execute but don’t think: we’ve lost creativity and it shows at all levels, including the National team. Football is movement, you have to think about variations, it’s space-time: Sacchi said it and they thought he was talking about geography…”
Can Gasperini win the Scudetto?
“Yes, and I hope he does because he’s a guide for all those who want high-intensity training and play. And even if he loses Koopmeiners, he’s shown he can go beyond the players.”
Do you envy De Rossi a bit?
“No, he’s a friend, he’s great, he started worse than me at SPAL, but he had his city’s team in his hands and did very well. Now he’ll have a lot of expectations on him, but Italian coaches are the best.”
The National team?
“It’s everyone’s fault, not just the coach’s or the players’ or the FIGC’s. Now let’s reset everything, Spalletti and the players should talk and we start over because we can’t miss the World Cup. More play, more running, more hunger. And the young players are there: have you seen the Under teams?”
