Lorenzo Insigne wants to become “Napoli’s Francesco Totti,” hails Maurizio Sarri and says Edin Dzeko cannot compare to Gonzalo Higuain.
The Partenopei host Roma on Sunday at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.
“The Scudetto race is wide open and Juventus are about to get back into the leading group. Napoli are there too and we’re second to nobody, so with Roma it’s a head-to-head for the title,” Insigne told La Repubblica newspaper.
Lorenzo Insigne wants to become “Napoli’s Francesco Totti,” hails Maurizio Sarri and says Edin Dzeko cannot compare to Gonzalo Higuain.
The Partenopei host Roma on Sunday at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.
“The Scudetto race is wide open and Juventus are about to get back into the leading group. Napoli are there too and we’re second to nobody, so with Roma it’s a head-to-head for the title,” Insigne told La Repubblica newspaper.
“Totti is a great example for all Italian players. He always fought to defend the colours of his hometown club and that is my dream too. I’d like to have the same journey at Napoli that Totti had with Roma.”
It will also be a duel of two big centre-forwards tomorrow, as Higuain takes on Dzeko, but for Insigne there’s only one winner.
“I respect Dzeko, he’s a very good striker, but Higuain is from another planet. Thankfully he plays for Napoli!”
The team has been transformed since Sarri took over from Rafa Benitez, and the 3-2 defeat to Bologna was the only loss in their last 20 competitive games.
“With Sarri we understood each other at first sight. He lets me play in my ideal position on the left. I didn’t expect him to be so good and so gritty. It’s to his credit if Napoli are doing so well, even though it’s still too early to dream.
“I still don’t know what happened at Bologna. Maybe it was an off day, which unfortunately can happen after an 18-match unbeaten run. We reacted against Legia Warsaw and set a new record by winning all six Europa League games.
“We have already scored 50 goals this season and that is down to the hard training sessions and the understanding between forwards. We play by heart.”
Insigne is doing exceptionally well for Napoli, yet he was snubbed by Italy Coach Antonio Conte. Does he believe in a Euro 2016 call-up?
“I am giving my all. I already experienced the excitement of a World Cup in 2014, now I dream of the Euros. There’s no problem with Conte, as too much has already been said and written about this.
“I spoke to Conte during the Nazionale get-together and we both agreed I needed to have treatment on the knee problem without taking any unnecessary risks.
“I have great respect for the Coach and respect his decisions, but I will do everything to convince him to call me.
“The Nazionale will have their chances at Euro 2016, regardless of what the draw throws at us. We have to beat the best to go all the way.
“Italy have a good squad and I am very optimistic about the future of our football. A generation of talents is emerging.”