Barça fans put their hands on their heads on December 13 when the Europa League draw paired Barça with Napoli, the most powerful adversary among those who could come out. The partenopeo team, unlike Barcelona, had started the season like a shot. He led Serie A from match four to match day fifteen, with full victories in the first eight games and remaining undefeated to date 13.
However, the tables turned on the weekend of November 20 and 21. Saturday, Xavi Hernandez He made his debut on the Barça bench with a victory at the Camp Nou against Espanyol (1-0). And on Sunday, Napoli lost against Inter (3-2) their first game in Serie A.
The trends of both teams were reversed. Meanwhile he Barça has grown with the new technician, the Naples he gave up the lead shortly thereafter and his record since that first fall is two wins, one draw and three losses.
In December, the campano team lost to two uncomfortable but inferior rivals such as Empoli and the Spezia (both 0-1, with a rebound goal and the other on an own goal), he let himself go 2-1 by the Atalanta (2-3) and tie a 0-2 for the Sassuolo (2-2), and only won at Milan (0-1) thanks to a goal disallowed by the ‘rossoneri’ in the last minute. “We have accused fatigue. It’s time to reorganize the morale of the team, which is a bit dejected & rdquor ;, said the coach Luciano Spalletti after falling before him Spezia with 25 shots in favor and 0 against.
Very depleted by injuries
The drop in the benefits of the Naples is mainly due to the injuries of five indisputable starters: the defensive benchmark Kalidou Koulibaly, the engine room composed of Fabian Ruiz Y Baboon Anguissa, the captain and main offensive generator Lawrence Distinguished, and the scorer Victor Osimhen. The accumulated fatigue and the lower level of the substitutes did the rest.
However, the winter break offers the Campanian team a respite that it had been needing both physically and mentally. Spalletti will recover the injured and until February 17, the day on which he will visit the Camp Nou, the Naples He has seven games to regain feelings.
A few months ago, the Parthenopean painting, which Despite the downturn, he is the best defense of ‘Calcium’ with 14 goals conceded in 19 duelsIt was a granite block with multiple offensive resources. Dangerous in the long hitting and set pieces, capable of dominating and counterattacking. We’ll see how it gets to February.
The African Cup, a factor of wear and tear
The Naples will be seriously affected by the African Cup dispute, which begins on January 11 and ends on February 6 – eleven days after the first face-to-face against Barcelona – with the celebration of the final. Of its indisputable headlines, the campano box will surely lose the defense Kalidou Koulibaly, summoned with Senegal, and the midfielder Zambo Anguissa, called by Cameroon. Both players who have been injured recently.
The case of the Nigerian Victor osimhen It is uncertain. After fracturing his cheekbone on November 21 in front of the Inter, the Naples reported that the recovery time would be three months. However, the attacker, who is already exercising with a mask, declared on social media that he will go if summoned.