Sampdoria-Napoli is an especially interesting match for Eugenio Corini, as the former midfielder played for both teams during his long career. He spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport about the recent news coming from the azzurri and the Ancelottiana idea to play Marek Hamsik in front of the defense.
"Hamsik has all of the qualities to become a fantastic player ahead of the defense. Ancelotti had great intuition to play him twenty meters back. This position will extend his career and let him continue playing at a high level. It's a tactical change that reminds me of what Allegri did with Pjanic at Juventus; playing from the inside has made him an extraordinary playmaker. Why him and not Diawara? Because the former Bologna payer isn't a classic playmaker. He's great at recovering the ball, but lacks the awareness to dictate play. While Hamsik has it in his personality to play like a metronome: he's great at short passing, but can also pass 40-50 meters. He can become great in this role."
Will Napoli compete for the scudetto? For Corini, Ancelotti's squad is the anti-Juve: "Juventus had a great market and remain the favorites, but gli azzurri have earned the role of their biggest rivals on the pitch. In their first two matches they defeated Lazio and Milan, showing their personality. Ancelotti's ideas, with the possibility of changing formations, make Napoli even stronger than the amazing work Sarri did. Zielinski? He has everything you need to become a champion. There are no doubts about his talent, he just needs to continue to grow mentally. If he finds continuity with his athleticism, he can make a difference every three days. He'll be a top player."
