Ahead of the 18:00 match between Napoli and Cagliari, renowned Italian coach, Gian Piero Ventura, who previously managed both teams, shared his insights. He discussed the event with “Il Mattino” – a popular Italian daily newspaper.
Ventura commended Walter Mazzarri, Napoli’s manager, for having brought about stability in the dressing room, a key task especially as Napoli has a hectic schedule of matches currently. He noted, “Mazzarri has done the job. It’s vital, though of course, it’s not enough. Still, he hasn’t had the time to do much else given that Napoli is playing every three days. The initial performance of the Azzurri has been absolutely positive. We see once again their desire to play and also maintain the right distances.”
The experienced coach acknowledged that Napoli and Cagliari have differing goals due to their differing positions. “Napoli and Cagliari are different teams with different expectations. The Azzurri’s minimum requirement is to qualify for the Champions League, whereas Cagliari aims for survival. We are talking about two different worlds. Mazzarri is turning a necessity into a virtue: he managed this mental reconstruction well and quickly, during which the team seemed to be almost awaiting someone. Now there is the need to work on the field.”
Ventura also had praise for Claudio Ranieri, Cagliari’s manager, describing him as a miracle worker. “He made a miracle last year and is doing well this year too: he has the team in his hands and the players are giving everything for him. Claudio has a lot of experience, which is evident in the team cohesion and his ability to manage the dressing room. This has always been his strength. For Cagliari, to say it will be very difficult is an understatement. It is true that in football you should never take anything for granted, but we are talking about different values on the field.”