Roma v Napoli: Gasperini exposed Conte, but Roma aren’t yet Atalanta | OneFootball

On the eve of the direct clash between Roma and Napoli, La Gazzetta dello Sport reconstructs the tactical scenario that could emerge at the Olimpico, recalling how, a year ago, Gian Piero Gasperini put Antonio Conte's Napoli under pressure, highlighting its structural limitations and forcing it to its first home defeat under his management.

Towards Roma-Napoli, Gasperini Exposed Conte, but Roma Is Not Yet Atalanta

According to the account by the Rosea, last season’s Atalanta imposed on Napoli a kind of total football match, made up of constant duels, physical intensity, and brutal counterattacks. “That match clearly showed how much work still needed to be done,” the report reads, “and represented a sort of technical watershed for Conte.”

From that 0-3, a path of steady growth was born: Napoli began to structure itself, gradually assimilating more consolidated principles and acquiring consistency in performance.

Today's Roma: Gasperini-like Signs but Still a Different Path

The comparison with Atalanta remains inevitable, but the Gazzetta clarifies that today’s Roma cannot be compared to the Dea, now fully shaped after nine seasons with Gasperini. “The Giallorossi team does not yet have a definitive identity, but it already shows automatisms close to that model,” it is emphasized. A more solid, more compact Roma, with principles of reasoned aggression that recall some of the typical insights of the Nerazzurri coach.

At the same time, a similarity with Conte’s first Napoli is highlighted: a group under construction, mentally more organized, in search of continuity and internal rhythm.

The New Napoli: More Protected Defense, Wingers Free to Make an Impact

The real transformation of Napoli has come above all on the offensive front. The wingers, writes the Gazzetta, “now have more opportunities to push forward,” while the defensive system, based on Beukema, Rrahmani, and Buongiorno, guarantees balance without giving up the ability to support the action on the flanks.

The outlet insists: “The turning point came with Neres and Lang finally becoming protagonists. Free to take on, dribble, attack.” The 3-4-2-1, reintroduced to manage the emergency, has also proved functional in enhancing those technical profiles that allow Napoli to rediscover creativity in the final 30 meters.

Conte and the “All-In” Scenario: Possible Coexistence of the Three Attacking Wingers

La Gazzetta anticipates the most surprising hypothesis: the simultaneous inclusion of Politano, Lang, and Neres. “The final choice,” it reads, “could be between Lang or Politano. But what if both played together with Neres? It would be a Napoli totally oriented towards creativity.”

A prospect that Conte is considering to surprise Gasperini, exploiting the liveliness of the wingers in a match that will likely be decided by the duels on the flanks and the intensity of the pressing.

A Lively Napoli Despite the Emergency

Despite the absences, the Gazzetta highlights how the team is anything but lacking in character. “Napoli is still here. It’s alive,” the article reads. The emergency remains a factor, but historically it is precisely in moments of greatest complexity that Conte finds unprecedented solutions capable of changing the season.

Towards Roma–Napoli: Balance and Uncertainties

The Olimpico clash promises to be a match of high tactical intensity. On one side, a growing Roma but not yet fully defined; on the other, a Napoli rejuvenated by the choices of recent months, determined to consolidate its identity.

Between possible surprises in the lineup, flexible formations, and technical rivalries, Roma–Napoli is shaping up to be one of the most important crossroads of the season.

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