Napoli’s slow start to the new season brought about many questions regarding coach Maurizio Sarri, with the clubs fans finally warming to their new coach following recent results.
We’re three months into Maurizio Sarri’s tenure at Napoli, and despite a shaky start, the fans seem to have warmed to the former Empoli boss. Notoriously difficult to please, the Azzurri faithful always expect instant results.
So it’s no surprise they were uncertain of Sarri after dropping points against Sassuolo, Carpi, Sampdoria and his former club Empoli. However, impressive displays against Club Brugge in the Europa League and Lazio in Serie A kept the fans interested. With their recent triumph over Juventus, perhaps it is time to accept Sarri is the right man for the job.
Condemning the Bianconeri to defeat is no small feat, even if it is their fourth of the season. Just as Juventus thought they’d turned a corner, they were handed a reality check courtesy of the Partenopei.
The result will be billed as a turning point for the Azzurri, who currently sit ninth in Serie A. A number of positives were taken from the victory, but among the finer details was the performance of Jorginho. Previously held up as a sacrificial lamb when it came to league defeats, the 23-year-old played out of his skin in what was an important match for both him and the team.
Capitalizing on the absence of Mirko Valdifiori, the former Verona midfielder performed brilliantly. Although Roberto Pereyra presented a particular challenge for Jorginho, he overcame the problem and was back in the driver’s seat.
Perhaps the greatest sources of delight for supporters has been the rejuvenation of Lorenzo Insigne. A frustrated figure under the leadership of Rafa Benitez, not to mention a lengthy injury, the forward only found the back of the net twice last season.
So far he’s already scored three times in Serie A, including the opener against the current champions. He was forced off the pitch with an injury concern, with many fans fearing the worst. They were relieved to hear his injury wasn’t overly serious, as any time out for Insigne would be catastrophic.
Indeed, the team would suffer in more ways then one. Star striker Gonzalo Higuain is in amongst the goals again, but this is due in part to the wonderful connection he has with Insigne. The pair understand each other’s game very well, making it easy for one or the other to perform on the field. This was certainly the case against the Bianconeri, with the Argentinian providing the assist for Insigne in the first half. With crucial fixtures around the corner against AC Milan and Fiorentina it will be important to have both players at the peak of their powers.
The immediate attention, however, will be on the Thursday night’s Europa League fixture against Legia Warsaw. The highly militant Polish side finished second in the Ekstraklasa last season and have some talented players amongst their squad, most notably Ondrej Duda who garnered a great deal of interest from Inter this summer. A host of reserves are expected to feature for the Azzurri, namely Vlad Chiriches, David Lopez and Manolo Gabbiadini. Both Mirko Valdifiori and Dries Mertens could also start the game.
