StadiumPosts Logo
Stay upto date with notifications from Stadiumposts
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences

TACTICAL SHIELD: WILL GIOVANNI DI LORENZO’S DEFENSIVE MASTERCLASS SECURE NAPOLI’S FINAL SPOT

Giovanni Di Lorenzo urges Napoli to avoid a "lottery" by beating AC Milan in normal time tonight. Can they reach the 2025 final?

Tactical Shield: Will Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s Defensive Masterclass Secure Napoli’s Final Spot
Will Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s Versatility Be Napoli’s Secret Weapon?

Giovanni Di Lorenzo has stated Napoli is aiming for victory at the Supercoppa Italiana in Saudi Arabia. He has urged his teammates to secure the win in 90 minutes when they play Milan in the semi-final this Thursday, saying that penalties are unpredictable.

The Supercoppa Italiana kicks off in Riyadh with the Napoli versus Milan semi-final on Thursday evening. Bologna and Inter will compete in the other semi-final on Friday night, with the winners meeting in the final on Monday.

Di Lorenzo: ‘Napoli want to qualify for the final in normal time’

Captain Di Lorenzo, alongside Antonio Conte during Wednesday’s pre-match press conference, mentioned that Napoli is in a good position despite their recent 1-0 loss against Udinese and their 2-0 defeat by Jose Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League.

He said, “We’re coming in at a good time, even though we lost our last game. But this is another competition; we will play openly. The team is doing fine.”

When questioned about Napoli’s goals for the Supercoppa Italiana, Di Lorenzo clarified that they are taking it one game at a time. He wants to avoid a penalty shootout.

“Penalties are unpredictable, so we want to qualify for the final in normal time. That’s the goal. Milan is a strong team with great players, so we have to focus on doing our best.”

Regarding his recent role as a right wing-back, Di Lorenzo was asked if he has a preference between playing in a back three or a back four.

He responded, “We’re all professionals and used to playing all the time. I always train to the best of my ability. It can be tiring mentally, but you need to burn a lot of energy to play in these games.

“I play wherever the coach tells me. I’m always available for the team; my position is secondary.”

Napoli, like Milan, has brought several youth team players to Saudi Arabia. Di Lorenzo commented on them.

“They’re young guys who often train with us and bring a breath of fresh air to the first team. We try to make them feel comfortable and help them perform at their best.”

On Napoli’s defensive game, Di Lorenzo added, “Tomorrow’s match depends on our defence, so it will be very important. You attack better when you defend well. We will try to play a good defensive game and show our qualities when we have the ball.”

TIRED OR TOUGH? THE CONFLICTING ITALIAN MEDIA REPORTS ON SCOTT MCTOMINAY’S PERFORMANCE

Scott McTominay and Napoli suffer Champions League elimination after a 3-2 home defeat to Chelsea's clinical Joao Pedro.

top-news
Napoli and McTominay crashed out against Chelsea

Scott McTominay had a rough night as Napoli crashed out of the Champions League on Wednesday. The reigning Serie A champs missed out on a play-off spot after losing at home to Chelsea.

It was a wild night in the Champions League, and Napoli ended up as one of the biggest letdowns. Even with home advantage against Liam Rosenior's team, they only managed to finish 30th overall. Chelsea, on the other hand, walked away with sixth.

McTominay, along with Manchester United loanee Rasmus Hojlund, couldn’t stop Napoli from falling 3-2 in Naples. Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring, but Napoli hit back before halftime thanks to Antonio Vergara and Hojlund.

But after the break, Joao Pedro bagged a brace and sealed Napoli’s fate. The Italian press didn’t hold back in their reviews of McTominay’s performance.

Il Napolista gave McTominay a 6 out of 10. They liked his grit but pointed out he lost possession a few too many times in midfield. Still, they said he was a threat going forward—enough to give Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez something to worry about. But in the end, it just wasn’t enough for Conte’s side.

Il Messaggero also gave him a 6. They called his first half “average”, even though the game was played at a high level. After halftime, they thought he looked tired and didn’t live up to his usual standards.

Corriere dello Sport was a bit more generous with a 6.5. They praised his fighting spirit—classic Premier League style—and said he gave it everything he had. But as Serie A’s current MVP, expectations are high, and he just couldn’t find the goals Napoli needed.

Essere Partnopei matched that 6.5 rating. They praised his energy and said he was as active as ever, moving the ball well. Still, his efforts couldn’t keep Napoli from being knocked out.

Napoli Magazine skipped the ratings but said McTominay wasn’t at his best. He’s a key player for Conte and stayed committed, but it wasn’t enough to push Napoli into the next round.

"DON'T JUMP SHIP!" — ANTONIO CONTE’S EXPLOSIVE WARNING TO NAPOLI STARS AFTER JUVENTUS ROUT

Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund fail to fire as Juventus crush Napoli 3-0. Discover Conte’s defiant post-match reaction.

top-news
Napoli slip to fourth as title rivals capitalise on defeat

Napoli just fell nine points behind in the Serie A title chase after Scott McTominay and the rest of the squad took a heavy 3-0 loss against Juventus.

The defending champs barely put up a fight at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. Juventus looked sharp, closing the gap with Napoli to just a single point. Right now, Gli Azzurri sit fourth with 43 points, Juventus are right behind on 42, and Inter still lead the pack with 52. If Antonio Conte’s side wants to catch up, they’ve got a lot of work to do.

McTominay played the whole match for Napoli but couldn’t change the game. Frustration was obvious for the visitors. Rasmus Hojlund, on loan from Manchester United, struggled again and didn’t make much of a difference up front. While his parent club edged out Arsenal 3-2 in London, Hojlund missed two decent chances in Turin. He hasn’t scored for Napoli since late December.

Romelu Lukaku finally got back on the pitch after his injury, but with just 12 minutes left, the result was already settled. Juventus were two goals up—Jonathan David bagged the first, Kenan Yildiz added another, and Filip Kostic finished things off near the end with a third.

Napoli are still missing another Scot, Billy Gilmour, and creative midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is out hurt as well. Next up, Chelsea comes to Naples on Wednesday night. Napoli really needs a win to stay in the hunt for a Champions League play-off spot.

Conte faced up to the defeat but made it clear Napoli aren’t about to give up on the Scudetto—even with all these injuries.

Conte didn’t sugarcoat things:

“As long as it was 1-0, it felt close—like we might grab a draw,” he said. “But after their second goal, things opened up, and then they scored a third. Credit to them, but also to my guys. There’s not much to say or criticise. Even here in Turin, they gave everything.

“Sometimes you get past these obstacles, sometimes you don’t. For the first time in my career, I had to bring on a player [Giovane]. I’d never even seen him in training—a kid who just joined us Saturday. That tells you something about what we’re dealing with right now.

“But we’re not quitting. We know the situation, and we’ll keep pushing. It feels like we’re out at sea in a storm, but we’re not bailing. If someone wants to jump ship, fine—they can swim to shore. The rest of us are staying on board, ready to fight with everything we’ve got, whatever comes our way.”

Premier League Standings

WhatsApp Read More News