Headline: Napoli’s Politano Addresses Defensive Vulnerabilities Ahead of Champions League Clash with FC Porto
Napoli’s Matteo Politano has acknowledged the team’s defensive fragility, conceding goals too easily ahead of their Champions League encounter against FC Porto. The match is set to begin at the Estadio do Dragao on Wednesday at 20:00 GMT (21:00 CET).
The Partenopei currently find themselves at a disadvantage in the tournament, having recorded one win and two losses. However, this situation is still more favorable than that of their opponents, who have lost all three matches to date. Max Allegri’s squad also faced a setback in Serie A over the weekend, falling 2-0 to Juventus.
In his latest press conference, Politano characterized the upcoming game as a significant challenge. He mentioned the impact of injuries but emphasized the need to refrain from using them as excuses. “A difficult game awaits us tomorrow. It’s true that we have some injuries, but this mustn’t be used as an alibi, we don’t want alibis at this moment,” he stated.
He underscored the necessity for the team to take responsibility for their current situation, saying, “We are the only ones who can drag ourselves out of this situation. We’ve got to give our all on the pitch, because this is a fundamental match for us.”
Despite these issues, Napoli has struggled primarily with their defense this season, as assistant manager Marco Landucci noted that players backing off during defensive situations is not a part of their tactical directive. “When we concede goals, it’s everyone’s fault and not just the defenders, this is a team sport,” Politano admitted.
The winger expressed concern over the team’s recent struggles in defense, stating, “We are fragile at the moment, we can’t seem to defend as well as we did in previous years. We lack determination in pressing the opponents, so naturally against quality players you are going to pay for that.”
Looking ahead to the match, Politano called for unity within the team to improve their defensive structure. He added, “We haven’t tested the line-up yet, so we don’t know if it’ll be three or four at the back, but it is no problem for me.”
After a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Villarreal in the Champions League, where a critical back-pass resulted in a goal, Politano emphasized the importance of focusing on the future. “Fortunately, we can do nothing about the past, we need to focus on the future,” he remarked.
He acknowledged the strength of Porto, describing them as a team that attacks effectively and possesses the ability to maintain extended ball possession. “It is fortunate that we have the opportunity so soon after the Juventus match to prove ourselves all over again, we were lacking something that we need to show tomorrow,” Politano concluded.
