Gazzetta – Napoli: Conte eager to make a statement v Fiorentina | OneFootball

Gazzetta – Napoli, Conte Wants to Immediately Send a Signal of Strength Against Fiorentina

Clinging to the Fab Four, to immediately send a signal of strength. The first Champions League match is approaching, but in the meantime, Napoli faces an away game in Florence. There, where many big teams fell last year and only Napoli feasted, Antonio Conte now expects an important response from his team. They will arrive at the Franchi without Rrahmani and with doubts about the center forward, but in midfield, they will rely on their most powerful engine. The Fantastic Four are the certainty at the start of this season, the extra weapon of this new Napoli.

Yesterday, Conte welcomed back almost all the internationals, and today he will also have Frank Anguissa, match winner of the last game against Cagliari, back in the squad. The Cameroonian set off immediately after the defeat against Cape Verde, so he could contribute against Fiorentina as well. The debut in the new Super Champions is on the horizon, but Conte does not want any drop in tension.

Against the Viola, Napoli needs a real test, so there will be space for the four midfield masters: if he gives guarantees, Anguissa will be there, positioned again on the right-center of the midfield, with De Bruyne on the left-center and McTominay starting wide to then strike near or inside the box. Scott already scored at the Franchi in the first game of 2025, that victory which gave Napoli the certainty they could compete for the title. On Saturday, he will once again be the most anticipated man, with his knack for becoming the opener of matches.

But the eyes of Neapolitans and Conte will all be on De Bruyne, fresh from three goals in two games with his national team. Kevin is growing, both in confidence and in his integration into the new system of play. And, thanks to him, Napoli has become a modern, very European team. They approach their Champions League debut with new conviction: at the Etihad, there will be a royal welcome for De Bruyne, for years the technical leader of Guardiola’s City. But now his mind is fully on Napoli, ready to lead them especially on the great European nights. Kevin scored on his debut against Sassuolo but then struggled against Cagliari: he is studying Italian football, which he described as “slower and more tactical.” Indeed, finding space here is never easy, and the Belgian will have to quickly find a new key to surprise. In the meantime, he has shown application and focus, as well as an extraordinary ability to “attract” the ball, like a magnet. Kevin never stands still, he doesn’t just wait for the ball but goes to get it in every area of the pitch.

Even swapping positions with Lobotka, the pivot around whom the Azzurri’s midfield revolves. Lobo celebrated his 200th appearance in blue against Cagliari: he waited a while to take the keys to the game, but since Spalletti’s arrival, he has become the beacon of Napoli’s destiny. The center of gravity of Napoli’s play and not only that, given his exploits with his Slovakia. In Florence and Manchester, in short, it’s hard to expect surprises, at least in midfield. The Fantastic Four still need a bit more time to be totally dominant. But in the next two games, they will once again be the ones to drive Napoli forward. Quality, physicality, international experience, and goals. A luxury for Serie A, a fundamental weapon to have fun in Europe as well.

Carlo Gioia

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.