A three horse race continues in Serie A with a duel between Napoli and Roma. The Neapolitans are still in the hunt and could be equal with Inter with a win tonight, but it looks easier than it is. Mourinho’s Roma also has it’s own battles to win, as their bitter city rivals Lazio are just one point away and the pressure for the Europa League place continues. Former Chelsea manager doesn’t want another season in the Conference League, and he also wants to finish above his predecessor Paulo Fonseca, so a good result is a must. The first game between the clubs ended 0-0 in Rome, and ahead of this match, Mourinho decided to pay tribute to Diego Maradona.❤️ A tribute to Diego Maradona 🙏 pic.twitter.com/3UCtuZ73UJ— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) April 17, 2022 One of the best footballers in the world is Napoli’s most beloved son, and even a ‘saint’. When the Argentinian died in November 2020 after a heart attack, aged only 60, his fans from Napoli created a mural, basically allows fans to pay their own tributes to ‘El Diego’ whenever they please. So, out of respect, Mourihno decided to go the mural and lay flowers for Maradona, which was quite well perceived by the home fans, who were there at the moment when Roma coach came by, with the escort of the local police.Jose Mourinho appreciating one of the greats of the game 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/37f663hFaV— GOAL (@goal) April 17, 2022 Napoli coach, on the other hand, had to deal with the game plan, since a win is even more important to Luciano Spalletti than Mourinho, and the Italian tactician is under heat since his team managed only a draw with Fiorentina. The fans were asking for both Dries Mertens and Victor Osimhen to start the game, and Spalletti commented on that with journalists at the press conference.“It’s possible, they’ve already played, even in the second half against Fiorentina there were Mertens and Osimhen, when the game was even they were there, then in some moments we stretched and there were the two of them. Are the fans asking for it? They’re also the ones at the university where they’ve been, everyone wrote it differently, then one changed the formation too. Can you give me your formation? Insigne, Mertens, Lozano and Osimhen and behind Lobotka and Anguissa? You still leave out important people like Zielinski and Fabian” said Spalletti, clearly not happy with the conversation.Mr Special Arrogance: Everything changes except for MouThe Italian tactician also had to answer questions about his colleague Jose Mourinho, as he has yet to record a win against former Inter coach (2 draws, 3 defeats).“I really appreciate Mourinho’s ability to get across what he thinks, he comes when he says something, he reminds me of my brother Marcello, nowadays everyone writes that I have never beaten him. It’s true, right now he is on his way to becoming a legend and winning a challenge against him can also become a thing of the past. To do well you have to beat the legend” said Spalletti.SERIE A – ROUND 33FridaySpezia – Inter 1-3 (0-1)/Maggiore 88 – Brozovic 31, Martinez 73, Sanchez 90+4/Milan – Genoa 2-0 (1-0)/Rafael Leao 11, Messias 87/SaturdayCagliari – Sassuolo 1-0 (1-0)/Deiola 42/Udinese – Empoli 4-1 (1-0)/Ismajli 6 og, Deulofeu 52, Pussetto 79, Samardzic 87 – Pinamonti 70 pen/Sampdoria – Salernitana 1-2 (1-2)/Caputo 32 – Fazio 4, Lourenco 6/Fiorentina – Venezia 1-0 (1-0)/Torreira 30/Juventus – Bologna 1-1 (0-0)/Vlahovic 90+4 – Arnautovic 52/Lazio – Torino 1-1 (0-0)/Immobile 90+2 – Pellegri 56/Monday:20:00 (2.04) Napoli (3.50) Roma (4.10)22:00 (1.71) Atalanta (3.90) Verona (5.70)
