Di Francesco ahead of Lecce v Napoli: “We need focus and determination” | OneFootball

On the eve of the match against Napoli, Eusebio Di Francesco, Lecce's coach, spoke at a press conference analyzing the defeat against Udinese and outlining the priorities for tomorrow's match at Via del Mare.

Lecce-Napoli, Di Francesco presents the match: “We cannot get the approach wrong”

“We cannot afford to get the approach to the game wrong,” explained Di Francesco. “The second goal against Udinese came when we tried to regain control of the game, but in the second half, we were not concrete. The third goal conceded was due to naivety and wrong positioning. I have already shown the players videos to analyze the mistakes and understand how to improve, now the focus is all on Napoli.”

Regarding the lineup choices in the previous match, the coach clarified: “It’s not just about the choice of Helgason. There were mistakes from players who had played well up to that point. Facing high-level teams requires determination in every single action. In the second half, we were lighter, but we contained the opponent. The difference is made by how you approach the game, even in negative moments.”

Di Francesco also spoke about the team's experience: “We are not looking for excuses. Repeated mistakes give strength to the opponents. In moments of suffering, we must be able to endure without conceding goals. I take responsibility for the negative phases, but there is also much to build on from this experience.”

About Napoli, the reigning Italian champions, the coach added: “Something has changed compared to last year, for example, the absence of Lukaku. McTominay and Anguissa are dangerous players due to their ability to break through. It will be crucial to approach the game well; we cannot just defend: against such teams, a goal can come at any moment.”

Finally, Di Francesco gave an update on the injured players and the lineup: “Coulibaly is improving, while unfortunately, Sottil will not be available. There will be three or four changes compared to Udine, but I won’t reveal who will play. Tomorrow, concentration, motivation, and support from our fans will be needed to play a great match.”

Andrea Alati

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