Fabio Capello, with his impressive tally of five Italian championships won as a coach, shared his insights on the upcoming Inter-Napoli match. The former Milan manager told Gazzetta dello Sport how he expects a “classic Scudetto clash: Just look at the winners of recent seasons: since 2021, Inter have won twice, Napoli once. They are the giants of Serie A.”
When asked which team is under more pressure, Capello states, “I’m convinced that Sunday’s match will be a very, very important test, especially for Napoli. And I’m not saying this because they risk losing the top spot in the standings and being overtaken by Inter. This game weighs particularly heavily on Conte and his team because it comes after the ugly defeat at the Maradona against Atalanta. The clash with Inter offers Napoli the chance to redeem themselves immediately, which is why I’m sure Conte will have been hammering the team.”
Capello believes Conte’s focus will be on the mental aspect: “The coach’s work here is twofold: first, he needs to free the players’ minds from the images of the Atalanta match. The concept is: we are not really the team from last Sunday. Conte’s next step will be to rebuild a courageous Napoli, with personality, like the one that deservedly beat Milan at San Siro.”
Regarding the tactical duel between Conte and Inzaghi, Capello describes it as “Fascinating, because two winning coaches who are experiencing very different moments are facing each other. Conte in Naples is carrying out recovery work: he’s trying to bring back, according to his principles, the play, intensity, and spirit of the Scudetto from two years ago. Inzaghi, on the other hand, lives as the eternal favorite: since he arrived at Inter, he’s been coaching the strongest team, he’s ‘condemned’ to win, he has no alternatives. And he has shown that he can wear the suit of a coach under pressure well: the Scudetto of the star, achieved in that way, speaks for him.”
Capello also comments on Inter’s recent Champions League match against Arsenal, noting that while European cups drain physical and mental energy, “Inter has found the right balance, because Inzaghi rotates without losing in terms of performance and results.”
On key players, Capello highlights Calhanoglu’s importance for Inter: “Calha is the tactical fulcrum of Inzaghi: his direction not only offers illuminating plays for his teammates but strengthens the team in the defensive phase. Calhanoglu creates, scores, and protects the defenders. With him, Inter will become solid again, you’ll see.”
Finally, Capello looks forward to the Lautaro vs Lukaku matchup but also emphasizes the importance of the midfield battle, especially if Napoli can field Lobotka: “If Napoli can field Lobotka again, there will be fun in the middle.”
