Napoli travel to troubled Inter Milan today, with two fiery, under pressure, coaches out to prove they have what it takes to sustain a Serie A title challenge this season. Napoli’s season appeared to be heading for trouble just as it was getting started. After their 3-1 home defeat by leaders AC Milan on Nov. 22, there were reports of a heated confrontation between coach Gennaro Gattuso and his players.
The club denied any such meeting had taken place. Three days later, they were rocked by the news of former player Diego Maradona’s death, with the whole city in mourning. “Sometimes they (the players) love me, but I bet that sometimes they take out my picture in the morning and spit in my face,” Gattuso said after his side’s 2-1 win over Sampdoria on Sunday. “But it’s part of my job.”
The Neapolitans are unbeaten in their last six games in the weeks following Maradona’s death, having won all three of their league matches ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Inter. Victory would lift Napoli into second in Serie A above Inter, providing Juventus, on the same number of points, do not better their goal difference should they beat Atalanta on Wednesday.
But it is not just Gattuso who has had a tough time. Inter may have won their last four successive league games, but a 0-0 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk last week meant Antonio Conte’s side finished bottom of their Champions League group.
Conte reacted angrily to questions over Inter’s inability to beat a side they had thrashed 5-0 in the Europa League semi-final last season. “In fact, they (Shakhtar) approached that match in a different way. Think before you ask the questions,” he said. Conte then went on to clash with former Juventus, Real Madrid and England coach Fabio Capello after the match on Italian television. A win at Cagliari at the weekend eased the pressure slightly on Conte.
However, the manner of the performance, having to come from behind with victory secured by three goals in the last 15 minutes, did little to silence the doubters. Taking all three points against Napoli can keep the pressure on Milan at the top of the standings, but also take the heat off Conte himself.
Juve awaiting Dybala response on contract offer: Agnelli
Juventus president Andrea Agnelli said the Italian champions were awaiting an answer from Argentina forward Paulo Dybala on a contract offer which would make him “among the 20 highest paid footballers in Europe”.
Dybala scored his first Serie A goal in five months on Sunday during a 3-1 win over Genoa, telling journalists afterwards he had received no news on an extension to his current deal which expires in June 2022. “So many things that aren’t true have been said in relation to my contract,” he said.
Agnelli insisted on Monday the 27-year-old, who suffered with coronavirus for six weeks earlier this year, “has already received an offer that places him among the 20 highest paid in Europe”.
“We are calmly awaiting an answer,” Agnelli said during an awards ceremony in Turin. “The positive news is the return to scoring. Paulo had a tough time after the coronavirus, with a slow recovery. I was delighted to hear his declaration of love for Juve, it’s reciprocated. We see Paulo as a future captain of the team. Already now he often wears the armband. He knows he has the offer, we are waiting serenely for an answer.”
Dybala joined Juventus from Palermo in 2015 and has scored 97 goals for the club, winning eight major trophies, including five Serie A titles. He has often been linked with a move away in recent months and was reportedly close to signing for Premier League sides Manchester United and Tottenham last year.
“We are also waiting for one (response) on the pitch, his ambition is to be among the top five (players) in the world, and we want to support him. He is still not there and he knows this,” added Agnelli.
After their 3-1 home loss to leaders AC Milan last month, there were reports of a heated confrontation between Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso (right) and his players.
