Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri confirmed that Mario Rui will miss their visit to Turin to face Juventus on Friday. The Partenopei have suffered a series of defeats in the last week, with last weekends match against Inter attracting attention for a number of contentious refereeing decisions. Speaking ahead of the match with Juventus, Mazzarri focused on the match in hand and also revealed that he may have some input on the January transfer window:
“I think since I arrived we realised that at the first mistake we immediately concede goals. I’m trying to intervene on this. We must not concede the resounding counters that penalised the team, even before me. A team that wants to stay at the top must have balance, be solid and make plays that these guys know how to do. We have to think game by game, it’s useless to make lots of speeches if we don’t start winning games. We have to be more concrete. This match has a great importance, it will be very important and it will serve me to understand if we have made certain progress.
“I no longer want to say things that risk tarnishing the professionalism of those who have been there before me. I keep certain evaluations to myself. The lads have shown me that they are giving their souls. The important thing is that the players are convinced of what the coach is proposing. It seems to me that these boys are beginning to do that. I’ve seen a strong bond with me.
“The Inter game? If there was a team that should have been ahead in the first half it was Napoli. We expressed a good game conceding few counters to Inter. Mario Rui won’t be there with Juventus. There’s hope he can be called up with Braga. Osimhen? When such a strong player is stationary for so long it’s normal that he has to find his condition again. But he can give me a good guarantee against Juventus.
“What do I expect in the transfer market? If the president will listen to me, when we get to the end of this month I will have more of a pulse on the situation and I will be able to give a more conscious judgement to give indications to the club.”
