Despite spending the majority of the match camped in their own half, Hellas Verona coach Andrea Mandorlini claimed the injury to Michelangelo Albertazzi helped swing the game in Napoli’s favour on Sunday afternoon.
With the returning Luca Toni only fit enough for the bench, the Mastini clearly set out to restrict the visitors and held on until 15 minutes were remaining when Lorenzo Insigne and Gonzalo Higuain scored in quick succession, to win the game for Napoli.
“The injury of Albertazzi has changed our shape a little,” Mandorlini told Sky Sport Italia.
“We played the match we had to, they have so much quality that we had to focus on not conceding.
“The regret is that we conceded the goal in a rather trivial way.
“I still saw a team that has struggled, but which maybe deserved a little more. Now you just try to go again and get points in every match.
“Against Frosinone it will be a true play-off. I feel a lot of confidence from the club, as well as in my players.
“We must recover some very important players, and then try to reverse our current course.
“In addition to the experience and charisma of Luca Toni, he is also a striker who scored has 42 goals in this shirt and changes many aspects of your team.
“Just think of Napoli without Higuain, what would they be? Now Toni has returned, it will determine our pursuit [of survival].”
The Verona coach then gave his verdict on Napoli’s Scudetto chances this season, and believes that Sarri can have them in the running when Serie A reaches its conclusion in May.
“This Napoli side has the ability to fight until the end,” claimed Mandorlini.
“To go and try to beat them by attacking from the first minute would be useless.
“We tried to work with our limitations and with our absent players.”
