It’s the match that football purists everywhere are looking forward to. Just as Pep Guardiola has managed to get his Manchester City side to click, he will face Maurizio Sarri’s free-flowing Napoli at the Etihad Stadium this evening. Both teams have risen to the top of their respective leagues after eight matches this season, entertaining all who have watched them in the process.
Indeed, Napoli are the only side in Europe’s top five leagues to have won all of their opening eight encounters, whilst Guardiola’s men are close behind with seven wins and one draw. The latter have outscored their Italian counterparts though, firing in an astonishing 29 goals whilst the Partenopei have netted 25 times in domestic competition.
There is a 12-year age-gap between 58-year-old Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri and 46-year-old fellow tactician Guardiola, but the Catalan holds far more experience when it comes to top-level success. Whilst the former Barcelona man was winning a league, cup and Champions League treble with Barca in 2008/09, Sarri was still in Italy’s lower leagues at Perugia.
Working as a bank manager until as recently as 1989, the chain-smoking coach has slowly and surely worked his way up the ladder, now implementing his meticulous methods at the top of Serie A. His 4-3-3 system and possession-based game has seen Napoli become one of the very most entertaining sides in Europe, and his opposite number had nothing but praise for Tuesday night’s opponents.
“Napoli do a lot of things, and they do them all perfectly,” Guardiola told Premium Sport. “We need to adapt to Napoli, because they have a different way of playing to what we’re used to seeing in the Premier League. As both a spectator and a coach I like to watch Napoli, and when I’m at home I like to watch their matches. Moreover, I learn a lot.”
The mutual appreciation continued as Sarri praised the man who will stand alongside him in the opposition dugout in Manchester. “All I can do is thank him and congratulate him, because he’s clearly the best coach in the world,” He said in his pre-match comments.“Thirty years ago [Arrigo] Sacchi left his mark on football, and in a few years we’ll realise how important Guardiola was. If someone like him compliments you, you can only be happy.”
Despite all the praise, platitudes and compliments, there may be a small footnote to be aware of here. This time two years ago the Neapolitan outfit were streets ahead of title rivals Juventus, who languished in 14th after their worst start to a season in years. But the Bianconeri got themselves together and launched an incredible unbeaten run that stretched from October 31 until the end of the campaign, and Sarri was ultimately left to wonder what could have been.
Last year the outcome was no different as Max Allegri’s side romped to a sixth-consecutive title, and all the beautiful football in the world could not help Napoli win what they so desperately covet. This year things seem different, with the team that have been forever the bridesmaid and never the bride look more tenacious and more able to grind out results in difficult matches.
The entire squad made a so-called “Scudetto-pact” and agreed to return early to pre-season training in order to further perfect their well-drilled – and almost telepathic – style of play that Sarri has worked so hard to implement.
With such a mammoth effort needed to beat the reigning champions in the league, it seems as though Napoli may choose to rest players for the clash at the Etihad. After forward Lorenzo Insigne helped his side to beat Roma on Sunday, Napoli face fellow title contenders Inter this weekend with the Champions League fixture against the Premier League leaders sandwiched in between.
Club owner Aurelio De Laurentiis was keen to emphasise the importance of that clash with the Milan giants, and called for some squad rotation in Europe. “City? I think that some of our players should sit out this game, with Inter only around the corner and being just as important,” the supremo told La Gazzetta dello Sport.”
So while tactically this will be a fascinating fixture, Napoli – who thrive on a regular XI in the way they play – may look a little different to what those football purists might be expecting.
