Pep’s in the Napoli fan club but Italians fear an ambush
Napoli suspect pep Guardiola’s gushing praise for them in the build- up to tonight’s massive match at the Etihad is mind games — and yesterday the italians stepped up the psychological warfare.
in recent weeks, Manchester City manager Guardiola has hailed Napoli as one of the top three teams in Europe and fawned over their coach Maurizio Sarri.
Club president aurelio De laurentiis responded by calling Guardiola a ‘wily old fox’ before Napoli even touched down in the North West yesterday.
‘i wouldn’t like it if Guardiola’s praise resulted in my players losing focus,’ said De laurentiis. ‘it concerns me.’ Nonetheless, Guardiola seems genuinely wary of Sarri and what he brings to the Etihad tonight.
With eight wins from eight in Serie a, a run extended by a 1-0 victory at Roma on Saturday, this season represents Napoli’s best chance of winning the italian title since 1990. Diego Maradona was pulling the strings in the southern city then and there is a feeling there that the glory days are returning.
England’s top scorers host italy’s best defence and Napoli’s goal difference of 21 is only bettered by City and paris SaintGermain in Europe’s top divisions. legendary former aC Milan boss arrigo Sacchi — the man credited by Guardiola with revolutionising italian football — describes Napoli as ‘spectacular’.
a mouth-watering match is in prospect and Guardiola knows it. ‘i read from the Napoli president that my words are just to distract Napoli, but it is just what i believe,’ he said with a smile.
‘if the president prefers to hear they are a disaster team, i can say that as well. i don’t need to compliment them.
‘i like to watch them. i am a manager, a professional, but a spectator as well. i like to watch Napoli when i am at home. i love many, many things about a Sarri team. He will change something important and will be important for italian football.’
Bizarrely, Sarri escalated the mind games last night with some niceties of his own, suggesting Napoli expect a hiding tonight.
‘The feeling i get watching Man City, i didn’t even get watching Real Madrid last year,’ he said.
‘i haven’t watched many of City’s matches because i didn’t want to become too low, too depressed.
‘City are by far the strongest team in Europe at the moment. i would like to die a sudden death if i have to, not a painful, slow death.’
perhaps Sarri — who claims Saturday’s Serie a match against inter Milan is more important to him than this faceoff with City — has an inferiority complex.
There is no need for that and Guardiola added: ‘ The things Napoli do, they do perfectly. They have three guys who are so dynamic — lorenzo insigne, Dries Mertens and Jose Callejon.
‘in the middle they have Marek Hamsik, who can also run in behind. it is not a team that is going to wait. For me it is a fascinating challenge.’
Guardiola, with Sergio aguero back after recovering from the rib injury he suffered in an amsterdam car crash two weeks ago, also has serious weaponry at his disposal.
‘We can always do better,’ he said, deadpan.
Yet Guardiola knows that with Kevin De Bruyne in the form of his life, City are a match for anybody. The manager’s aim now is to elevate his Belgian maestro to the same realm as lionel Messi.
‘Messi is apart,’ Guardiola said. ‘He is a guy who’s scored 60 goals for the last eight, nine, 10 seasons. i want to help Kevin all i can to get to the highest level possible.
‘if you want Kevin to be considered one of the best, he has to win titles. We are here to help him achieve that.’
and Guardiola accepts that means ending a decade of Spanish dominance. ‘it is what history says. it has been Real Madrid, Barcelona, atletico Madrid, Sevilla and teams like us need to show we are at their level.’ Victory tonight would be a significant start.