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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?
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.”
TRANSFER ALERT: MANCHESTER UNITED OPENS TALKS FOR INTER STAR DENZEL DUMFRIES FOR 2026
Ruben Amorim wants Denzel Dumfries to lead his 3-4-3 revolution. With Inter Milan open to a sale, could 2026 be the year for a deal?
Man United might have an easy shot at signing Denzel Dumfries, a guy they've been after for a while.
At Man United, a key thing in Ruben Amorim’s plan is the wing-back spot.
For Amorim, wing-backs do more than just defend. They have to be quick, attack, run the field, push ahead with the ball, make plays, score, and set up goals.
Basically, they're attackers, not just extra full-backs. So, who plays wing-back is super important to how United plays.
Why do they need wing-backs
Right now, Amad Diallo seems to be the only one who’s really nailed the wing-back thing. On the other hand, Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu haven't been steady in that spot. Because they’re all over the place, INEOS wants to get some better players for those positions.
One guy that keeps popping up is Dumfries from Inter Milan.
Why Dumfries is good for Amorim’s plan
Dumfries is super athletic – strong, quick, and with tonnes of stamina – and he works hard and helps out on offence. He sneaks into the box late, crosses the ball well, and can score. Plus, he’s smart about tactics, which makes him a natural fit for what Amorim wants in a wing-back.
United has been watching him for years, even when Erik ten Hag was in charge, but they could never get him.
How United can finally get Dumfries
But now, it sounds like they know how to make it happen.
Rudy Galetti, a journalist, was talking about Dumfries’ future at Inter and said that he’s important to the team, but:
Inter isn't blocking a possible transfer. If they get a really good offer in the next few months, they will think about taking it seriously.
We'll see if INEOS decides to make a big offer to Inter.
So, when could United sign Dumfries?
Probably not in January. Dumfries is under contract with Inter until 2028, and he's out for a few months after having surgery.
That means any move to Old Trafford would probably happen next summer.
Since Dalot might leave in 2026, Dumfries could be the perfect replacement and, most importantly, the right wing-back to make Amorim’s system work.
INTER MILAN OUT: CRISTIAN CHIVU TAKES BLAME AFTER SHOCK SUPERCOPPA SHOOTOUT DEFEAT TO BOLOGNA
Cristian Chivu accepts blame for Inter Milan’s Supercoppa exit, revealing why Calhanoglu and Esposito didn't take penalties.
Cristian Chivu took the blame for Inter Milan's Supercoppa Italiana elimination after they lost to Bologna in a penalty shootout. He said his game decisions were to keep the players safe and the team balanced.
Talking after the game, the Inter coach spoke about the shootout again, saying penalties are more about guts and owning up than practice.
To me, it's about bravery and owning it, Chivu said, according to FCInterNews. Taking a penalty is tough, and so is training for them. Sadly, tonight things didn't go our way.
Chivu Defends Not Letting Pio Esposito & Calhanoglu Take Penalties in Loss to Bologna
Chivu was asked why he didn't bring in Francesco Pio Esposito for the shootout.
The coach made his reason clear.
'I didn't want to risk putting in a player who was cold just to take a penalty,' he said. It's not easy, and I'm to blame.
The same went for Hakan Calhanoglu, who stayed on the bench in spite of his good record.
Calhanoglu is just back from an adductor injury, and I didn't want to push him to do it cold, Chivu added.
Those choices were part of a bigger plan to rotate players.
That's why I rested some players, he said. I'm responsible for how we played.
Even though he was upset, Chivu wanted to point out how well Bologna has been doing, giving them props.
We have to give Bologna credit for what they're doing and building, he said.
Tactically, Chivu thought Inter had the edge after halftime. In the second half, we controlled the game, he said. But we messed up in front of their goal, or their defence played great.”
Looking forward, the Inter coach sounded strong. 'That's football,' Chivu said. You try, you fail, you cry, and you get back up. People step up knowing it takes time. This team has what it takes to get through this.
For Chivu, the Supercoppa loss is a lesson, not a final decision. He thinks Inter can learn from it and move on.
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