For Napoli, the lead-up to the match against Roma is even longer and more exhausting than expected. After the disarming defeat in Empoli, the protest mainly concerned the team, changing recipient after months, then the words of Francesco Calzona did the rest and yesterday, before the start of the retreat in a hotel in the Caserta area, the Napoli coach reiterated the accusations against the team with even more firmness and depth. “The coach wanted to talk to the journalists and the club is only happy with this”, the clarification of the communications manager in introducing the press conference of Francesco Calzona who evidently has not digested his team’s latest releases and relies on also at this public release to try to shake up the group and seek a reaction that hasn’t been there so far.
There is no desire to win and not to concede goals
Francesco Calzona’s words were clear, in the wake of the last two post-match statements in which he accused the players of not being a team and not having a spirit of sacrifice even just to create density behind the ball line: “I take responsibility , but they are the ones who go on the pitch and I hope that pride comes out. With Roma I want to see players who chase their opponents with anger, the thing that has been missing lately, I want to see character, the desire to win the match”, the Calzona’s debut which was then even more specific: “The coverage of the midfielders is always missing. We lack the desire not to concede goals, it doesn’t just depend on the defenders, but on the team. They can’t help but hold themselves responsible, in Empoli I saw a lack of desire to win for the first time. It’s not a question of tactics, but of attention, the desire to go beyond the mistake and make a run.
However, Calzona confirms the starters
The coach’s dismay comes from someone who has ascertained that now tactics have nothing to do with it and he can’t work much on these issues: “We struggle to get back on track and get back in line with the ball and that’s the worst thing. I ask us to defend high, but it happens that we have to create density and we don’t succeed. I showed the team some images in which without Osimhen, who was out, 10 of them made an excellent density, then with 11 against 11 they don’t feel the danger and we don’t. they succeed”, the disbelief of Calzona who, however, after many digs at the team, will also reconfirm the eleven of the last matches against Roma. Rrahmani and Mario Rui return from suspension, in the usual line with Juan Jesus and Di Lorenzo, in midfield Zielinski with Lobotka and Anguissa and in attack Kvaratskhelia and Politano in the trident with Osimhen. The last appeal to stop the protest and make the season finale dignified.
