Luciano Spalletti responds in kind to Paolo Zanetti

“They won it deservedly and we scored the goal, beyond the clear penalty.”

And that’s ten. As the consecutive victories of Napoli in this so far extraordinary championship of the blue formation. Despite a day in which they did not perform as brilliantly and amazingly as on other occasions, the partenopei bring home three very heavy points in view of the Scudetto.

The match was unblocked thanks to a disputed penalty – later converted not without some thrills by ‘Chucky’ Lozano – for an intervention by Marin on Victor Osimhen. Empoli coach Paolo Zanetti’s recriminations were nipped in the bud by Luciano Spalletti’s words in the press conference.

“This is how teams that want the three points at all costs win. The importance of the victory is not given by the value of the opponent, but by where you want to get to. They won it deservedly and we scored the goal, beyond the clear penalty,” the Certaldo coach began. “The match was complicated because they are a tough team, who are inside their size. Mario Rui and Di Lorenzo had a great match, they did a hundred times the job of being present in defense and also pushing in attack.”

“This year we have improved a lot in the physical aspect,” Spalletti pressed further. “Not because the team has changed, but because the guys by dint of talking about it have changed this condition. I see it in training, I’m seeing that attitude there. That’s what’s needed in every situation, that makes you understand the intentions of the team to take responsibility,” the coach concluded.