Walter Mazzarri is leaving everyone in suspense regarding his tactical approach for Napoli’s upcoming clash against Verona. The Partenopei are set to host Verona at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday, and asked whether the Partenopei would stick with three at the back or revert to a four-man defense against Verona, Mazzarri replied:
“You will see tomorrow. The team has learned to play in a 3-4-3, 3-5-1-1, and also a four-man defense. Having options for the system will be an advantage for the rest of the season, as football means changing even during a match.”
“If you look at the last two games, the undeserved draw with Monza where we created so many chances, but in others we didn’t create as much for various reasons. Aside from the Torino match, which I would cancel out entirely, we were solid in the others. We have returned to being a team that doesn’t really struggle. We need to be more aggressive going forward, not wait until the last minute to create four or five chances. We also have to shoot from distance; we can’t always try to pass it into the net.”
“What can you ask of the coach when players miss one-on-one with the goalkeeper?”
Piotr Zielinski, who has reportedly been left out of the UEFA squad list due to his contract situation, will also miss the Verona match. Mazzarri explained, “Zielinski did not train today and is not in good shape, so he probably won’t be called up.”
Napoli made significant moves in the January transfer window, and Hamed Junior Traore could make an appearance against Verona. Mazzarri confirmed that the Bournemouth-owned midfielder “has about 20 minutes in his legs.”
Regarding new signing Jesper Lindstrom, Mazzarri mentioned that he still needs time to adapt to Serie A’s tactical demands. The coach discussed the team’s targets for the season, stating, “Fourth place is not that far away; it’s still possible. However, we must not put too much pressure on these lads, as so often we ended up down to 10 men because they feel the tension and go over the top. I must teach them the right balance.”
