The words of the Azzurri coach after the defeat at San Siro against Milan: “On the conceded goal, we made a mistake on a play we had prepared all week.”
Napoli was defeated at Milan’s home, slipping to -7 from the fourth place, which secures Champions League qualification. “The Rossoneri applied fierce pressure in the first half, but it waned in the second,” commented Mazzarri after the match. “We could have done better in the second half because we played well regardless of the change in formation.” Several team errors led to the conceded goal: “They executed a play we had worked on all week. I don’t like to point fingers, but it was a situation we had prepared for. Milan’s move was predictable; we made a mistake and paid for it.”
The fourth place is now seven points away: “The goal in the next 15 matches is to qualify for the Champions League. It’s possible; we’re recovering important players, and today against Milan, we didn’t deserve to lose. If things had turned out differently, we could have won, and we must believe we can compete with everyone. We’ll fight until the end to reach fourth place.”
Among the key players on the field was Kvaratskhelia: “He’s trying to find different spaces,” Mazzarri continued on DAZN. “Today, he was marked in every way, sometimes even harshly. When he sees he’s surrounded, he can move centrally, but he can’t always beat three opponents, so it’s important for his teammates to move.”
In recent weeks, Napoli has been alternating between different formations on the field: “In modern football, you need to be able to interpret multiple formations during the same match. We’re working hard, but some players were absent. They’re learning new situations, but we need to be good at playing both with a back three and a back four. The players are understanding and recognizing the work; what matters are the principles, not just the system of play.”
