Motta: We want to play our game against Napoli | OneFootball

On Saturday 25 January, Juventus will take on league leaders Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona: Thiago Motta previewed the clash in his pre-match press conference, analysing Juve’s form and the potential pitfalls of the challenge against the Partenopei.

Squad condition and the integration of new signings

“The integration of the two new signings is going very well. The group is working in the right way and we have everyone available, with the exception of [Arkadiusz] Milik, [Gleison] Bremer and [Juan] Cabal. We are ready to face this important challenge.”

The importance of internal competition

With a large squad and several options at his disposal, Motta emphasised the value of competition in training:

“The hardest thing is to leave a player out, because so many deserve to play, but I can only send eleven out onto the pitch. Internal competition is fundamental to raise the level of the team: at a big club like ours it is normal that there is competition between players. With the number of games we've played and those we have coming up, this competition for places will provide added motivation for everyone to improve and always give their best.”

A different Napoli compared to the previous encounter

Juventus will face a Napoli side who have regained their composure in recent weeks:

“I expect a different game compared to the first league fixture. Napoli have regrouped, play in a lower block and it is no coincidence that they only conceded 14 goals. However, playing at home, they will try to win the game. We want to implement our style of play and attack them with balance in order to cause them problems.”

Manuel Locatelli's role and leadership

A key role in this Juventus side is that of Manuel Locatelli, who has taken on more and more responsibility in recent weeks:

“His character is very important; in fact, he became captain naturally. On the pitch he always does crucial things for the team, and for me leadership is earned through daily attitude. He has proved to be a role model. He is a player capable of playing in different roles and, even when he plays in a position that limits him individually, he does it for the good of the team and his teammates. He never complains, and always gives 200%.”

Differences and similarities between Juventus and Napoli

Motta then analysed the two teams and their journey so far this season:

“I don't think our situation is similar to Napoli's, there are many differences. I am satisfied with many things, while we can improve in other areas, like all the draws that have held us back. We have a young squad, with a lot of talent, which has had to face several unforeseen circumstances such as injuries, but we have always tried to overcome them with the right attitude. There have been very positive performances, sometimes we have managed to get the result we wanted, other times not. But we know that to win we must always try to be superior to our opponent and tomorrow we want to prove that we are.”