November 24, (THEWILL) – Walter Mazzarri was cagey about Napoli’s Serie A ambitions this season as he prepared for his first league match back in charge against fifth-placed Atalanta on Saturday. The 62-year-old Italian returned for a second spell at the helm after predecessor Rudi Garcia was sacked following a disastrous start to Napoli’s title defence, which sees them 10 points behind leaders Inter Milan.
Speaking at his unveiling press conference on Friday, Mazzarri said, “It’s a tricky moment, so it’s not the right time to think about ambitions. The next match is the most important one, at the end of the season, we’ll make our assessments.” He continued, “We can’t think about the title if we don’t win games.”
Mazzarri previously managed Napoli between 2009 and 2013. “Napoli is home to me. Neapolitans have always shown me love. When I left, my cycle was over,” he reflected.
Atalanta head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is well aware of the attacking threat Napoli pose. “They are always a very strong team, one that dominated the championship last year,” he noted. “I expect the best from Napoli, but we are also in a good position in the league. For us, it has always been a good match to measure ourselves, tomorrow we will certainly find out what level we are at.”
The outcome of Saturday’s Serie A clash could determine whether Napoli can be seen as contenders again. Mazzarri knows the challenge facing his players, cautioning, “You can think of being stronger than the others, but it is difficult for everyone in today’s football. The other teams are waiting for us with more attention, so we should underestimate nothing.”
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
