Playing between the two games of the entire Champions League quarterfinal tie against Milan knowing that the ‘scudetto’ could not escape him because of their bad advantage weighed on the Napoli players and their coach Luciano Spalletti reserved some introduction before a Verona, third from last in Serie A, who took golden points from the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in their match to avoid relegation (0-0).
The best news for Napoli, who still have a 14-point lead with 8 games to play against the Lazio team that beat Spezia 3-0 on Friday, is the reappearance of Victor Osimhen, absent the previous three games due to adductor discomfort. The Nigerian goalscorer is the great asset of the leader of ‘calcio’ to return against Milan on Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
Spalletti rests five of the players who lost at San Siro on Wednesday 1-0: defenders Mario Rui and Amir Rrahmani, the media Piotr Zielinski and Stanislav Lobotka, and, above all, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
they just repeated Kim, and Zambo Anguissa, who will be out due to suspension on Tuesday, goalie Alex Meret, winger Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Eljif Elmas and Hirving Lozano.
A Naples without rhythm
Without Osimhen, or Kvaratskhelia, Napoli’s game lacked rhythm and precision against a Verona that, well-withdrawn, endured total and complete dominance (its possession of the ball was 80%) but ineffective from its rival.
Although in the 19th minute the referee disallowed Adolfo Gaich’s own goal for Mathias Oliveira’s positional offside, Napoli didn’t waste a shot between the three sticks and a forced header from Di Lorenzo that went near the post (56′) was their only chance.
Osimhen came in and finished off the crossbar
In this situation Spalletti decided to turn to the headlines whom he granted rest. He first brought on Kvaratskhelia and Zielinski for the ineffective Lozano and Diego Demme (63′) and later Osimhen, who reappeared after three games due to discomfort, and Lobotka for Giacomo Raspadori and Elmas.
That’s when Naples put the fifth gear and offered its usual image. A whiplash from Osimhen, after dropping the ball on a defensive rebound, was spectacularly cleared by the crossbar (82′). But Verona weathered the late downpour and deservedly got a point thanks to their solid defence. A luxury that the future ‘calcio’ champion can afford in an attempt to return to the Champions League.
Naples
00
Verona
Naples: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Kim, Juan Jesus, Olivera; Zambo Anguissa, Demme (Zielinski, 64′), Elmas (Lobotka, 73′); Politano (Zedadka, 84′), Raspadori (Osimhen, 73′), Hirving Lozano (Kvaratskhelia, 64′)
The
Verona: Montipò; Dawidowicz, Hien, Ceccherini (Djuric, 65′); Faraoni (Terracciano, 70′), Tameze, Abildgaard, Depaoli; Doubt (Verdi, 70′); Lasagna (Ngonge, 87′), Gaich (Coppola, 65′)
The
Objectives: None
Referee: Federico La Penna. Yellow cards to Ceccherini (14′), Terracciano (78′), Dawidowicz (90′), Kvaratskhelia (91′), Verdi (94′)
Spectators: 25,992 at the Diego Maradona stadium
see the match sheet
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
