Napoli-Genoa: Conte to DAZN—Champions League drains energy, on Hojlund | OneFootball

After a complicated first half, Antonio Conte’s Napoli manages to overturn Genoa and secure three crucial points in the league. The Neapolitan team, trailing by a goal after a difficult opening period, mounted a comeback thanks to a convincing second half, during which some decisive solutions came off the bench. At the end of the match, Conte analyzed the game and the team’s condition on DAZN’s microphones, also focusing on individual players and the European campaign.

Napoli, Conte: “We are on a blank slate. On Lobotka and Politano…”

Lobotka, Politano, and the players’ conditions: “Their conditions will be evaluated in the coming days. Matteo had some fatigue in his biceps, while Stanislav, slipping on the pitch, opened up a wound in the pubic area, right where he was injured last season,” said the Azzurri coach, explaining the precautions taken to avoid complications ahead of upcoming fixtures.

Di Lorenzo and Olivera, tactical roles: “That’s a type of situation, in the possession phase, where certain spaces can be occupied either by the winger or the mezzala. When you play with a 4-3-3, you need to isolate the wingers, leaving them one-on-one. That’s the idea when you’re in possession.”

Managing the Champions League and the squad’s journey: “Against Pisa, we made life difficult for ourselves. How to manage the commitments? We are on a blank slate; we’re not like other teams that have already played in the Champions League and Europe. We had to build a squad with nine new members, and this will be the most complex season. These players need to raise their level and improve, but we’re on a blank slate, and it’s inevitable to pay the price.”

Hojlund, De Bruyne, and decisive substitutions: “Hojlund, as I’ve always said, is a 22-year-old who didn’t have a leading role, but he has significant room for growth. I always tell him to work to become a star, and he’s proving it. As for Kevin, you have to manage the workload: against Pisa, I rested Lobotka and Anguissa, today I preferred to start with a 4-3-3. However, the Belgian is indispensable and fully integrated. Playing with four midfielders gives us a lot of quality, and you could see the impact of the players who came on in the second half. We’re on our journey, raising the level of the newcomers.”

Finally, Conte spoke about the clash between Juventus and Milan: “If I manage to get home, I’ll gladly watch it, because they’re two top teams. I watch the match because I love football.”

Andrea Alati

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