Di Lorenzo prepares for Juve-Napoli: "Special relationship with Spalletti but we'll be rivals"

Di Lorenzo acknowledges Napoli's disappointing league position ahead of Juventus clash but insists his bond with former manager Spalletti won't cloud the rivalry.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo spoke ahead of Napoli's fixture against Juventus, where his former manager Luciano Spalletti now coaches. The Napoli captain emphasized the special relationship he shares with Spalletti, who led the club to their third Serie A title, but made clear that once the match begins they will be rivals for 90 minutes.

Di Lorenzo rejected any notion of a personal duel, stating the focus is on Napoli's performance rather than facing his ex-coach. He acknowledged the team's frustration with their current league position: "Our league table doesn't please us, we're aware of it. Match after match we need to try to improve it." Despite Napoli's recent goalscoring form, including a strong performance against Monza, Di Lorenzo stressed the need for continued improvement given their standing in the table.

The captain described the Juventus clash as always emotionally stimulating, noting the historic rivalry between the two clubs. He also commented on the increased goal-scoring across Serie A this season, attributing it partly to new regulations that speed up play and reduce time-wasting.