Maurizio Sarri says second place would be “history” for Napoli and that Roma should only retire Francesco Totti’s No 10 jersey “temporarily”.

Sarri was speaking at a Press conference for Saturday’s game against Cagliari, where he also touched on the Sardinians being “tough opponents”, Marek Hamsik’s fitness and the progress made by midfielders Marko Rog and Piotr Zielinski.

“Roma? They’re in front of us and we mustn’t think about anything other than picking up points,” began the Coach.

Maurizio Sarri says second place would be “history” for Napoli and that Roma should only retire Francesco Totti’s No 10 jersey “temporarily”.

Sarri was speaking at a Press conference for Saturday’s game against Cagliari, where he also touched on the Sardinians being “tough opponents”, Marek Hamsik’s fitness and the progress made by midfielders Marko Rog and Piotr Zielinski.

“Roma? They’re in front of us and we mustn’t think about anything other than picking up points,” began the Coach.

“We must have an end of the season that is worthy of us achieving a historical objective.

“We’re on the up as we’ve done well against Juventus and Real Madrid, and for a team of our stature, it’s a step forward, even if we’re not one of the big boys.

“Next season? Finishing second or third will be the same as there will be four Champions League places.

“Either way, I’m not thinking about next season. We’re focused on the current one.

“Birthday present for Mertens? He has to start by being him [against Cagliari]. After that, we’ll think about a fair party for him.

“His head must be on the game. Until tomorrow night, I’m not at all interested in it.

“We’re facing a healthy team and it won’t be easy to beat it them.

“The first game [a 5-0 win] Is worth little. I expect tough opponents, so we must be humble, determined and ruthless mentally.

“XI? Hamsik is a doubt and tomorrow I’ll decide whether to play him.

“Totti retiring? I’ve never heard Totti say it. Champions like him should be given the right tribute, but retiring the No 10 jersey is taking away a dream for future generations.

“I’d retire it temporarily, but it would be right to give it to a future Totti.

“Rog? He’s grown a lot, but on a tight pitch, he can’t play as an attacker. The lad has a big future as a midfielder.

“Zielinski? He was used to a 30-match campaign, now he’s played in international cups.

“I think he’s already at 48 games, and at some times he’s paid for it, but in the last 10 days, he’s given important signals and played in our last game.

“It’s a path he must follow. He comes from Empoli, where he played little, and has doubled his minutes/

“Inevitably he’s paid for some of them, but he’s fine now and I hope he has 3-4 weeks of rest over the summer.

“I remain convinced that we’re talking about a potential champion. He combines quality with pace and if he grows with character and conviction, he’ll be a top player.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tickets Kit Collector