It was supposed to be a fundamental match for the Scudetto and it actually will be, only that it will only be Juventus who smiles. Rome-Naples (15 pm) will in fact have tricolor value only for the black and whites, ready to celebrate in the event of a failure for the Azzurri to win, but this does not mean that it does not hide particular meanings also for the teams in the field.
In fact, there are very heavy points up for grabs for the Champions League area, both for second place and for third place. The ranking sees Napoli at 73 and Roma immediately behind at 68: there is no need to do the math to understand how important the match at the Olimpico is. An interested spectator is then Mancini's Inter, ready to "dress up" in blue to get back into the Champions League race.
“When I arrived here no one would have imagined playing this match on equal terms – commented Luciano Spalletti. – The boys achieved extraordinary results, they pedaled hard and immediately made themselves available to my ideas. They have shown me that they are excellent players but I already believed in them before, otherwise I wouldn't have come to train here."
This spectacular match at the Olimpico, at least on paper. The two best attacks of the championship (73 goals for Roma, 72 for Napoli) will compete on the Olimpico lawn, enhanced by the return of Gonzalo Higuain, undisputed top scorer with his 30 goals.
Spalletti has only one big doubt relating to Rudiger, not at best due to a problem with his right thigh flexor: the German, however, has been called up and should take the field from the start, vice versa it will be Zukanovic's turn.
El Shaarawy-Dzeko is the usual ballot, with the Egyptian favorite in the role of false nueve. The Giallorossi 4-3-3 will see Szczesny in goal, Florenzi, Manolas, Rudiger and Digne in defense, Pjanic, Keita and Nainggolan in midfield, Perotti, El Shaarawy and Salah in attack. Only bench for Totti, undisputed star (as usual) of the press conference on the eve.
“I don't know if this will be his penultimate match at the Olimpico, forward the question to Pallotta – Spalletti glossed over. – There is no rivalry between him and me, indeed I greatly appreciated his message in which he invited the fans to remain united. He remains a resource for us, whatever solution concerns him".
Much quieter on the eve in the Naples house, on the other hand Sarri's conferences are now only a distant memory. Certainly the Azzurri are more than happy to embrace Higuain again, able again and enlisted after the three-match ban that left him on the sidelines of the team.
Sarri's 4-3-3 will thus return to being the best possible: Reina in goal, Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly and Ghoulam in defense, Allan, Jorginho and Hamsik in midfield, Callejon, Higuain and Insigne in attack.
