No pickup and morning breakfast appointment. Rafa Benitez's revolution continues to upset (positively, of course) the Naples world. On the other hand, given the results, the Spaniard could do anything and still have the support of his new city. But woe to stop, because the Rome train runs at breakneck speed and even Juventus are not joking. Thus, the home match against Catania (20.45) becomes yet another appointment not to be missed, for a team that, to tell the truth, has accustomed everyone all too well. If we exclude the defeats in London and Rome and the draw against Sassuolo, Napoli have never missed a beat, now proving to be a great player in our football.
“I want maximum attention – said Benitez on the club's official website. – Against Catania it will be the fifth match in a fortnight, but I saw the lads very energized and concentrated, so get ready to play a match that won't be easy at all". And perhaps for this reason Don Rafè (in Naples everyone calls him that) has decided to let go of the reins, allowing his parents to sleep in their respective homes instead of in retreat. An anomalous decision in Italy but very much in vogue in England, where, after all, Benitez has spent a good portion of his luminous career as an all-round manager. His methods are also working perfectly with regard to force management.
In fact, this evening the Spaniard could field the eleventh different formation in as many games, a precise sign of how he loves to rotate men and make them feel important and involved in the project, without exception. Only the form never changes, because the 4-2-3-1 is the dogma of the house, anything else can happen. In goal there will be Reina, in defense Mesto (he will replace the suspended Maggio), Albiol, Fernandez and Armero, in midfield the Swiss dam Dzemaili-Behrami. The doubts mainly concern the attack, because the next very important matches (Marseille on Wednesday and Juventus on Sunday) suggest some shifts, even if they are excellent.
The only ones certain to play are Hamsik (who rested in Florence) and Callejon (he was on the bench against Turin): the other shirts are played by Mertens-Insigne (the Belgian is favourite) and Higuain-Pandev. Under normal conditions, Pipita would always play, but the injury has just passed and, as previously mentioned, there will be two more fundamental matches this week.
