Di Lorenzo says Napoli's defence needs fine-tuning before Juventus trip

"Juventus-Napoli will be a very important, tight game." That was how Giovanni Di Lorenzo, speaking to DAZN, set up Sunday 1 November's match at the Allianz Stadium, which kicks off at 20:45 CET (19:45 UK, 14:45 ET).

"It will be nice to see the coach again, I have a strong relationship with him," the number 22 said of Luciano Spalletti. "I remember the two years under his guidance with great pleasure."

They are warm words for a coach who comes into this game at his lowest point. Juventus are coming off a 2-0 in Genoa and, on Spalletti's own orders, the squad is being kept together at the Continassa, the club's training base. According to accounts in recent days, another defeat could cost him his job. Marco Landucci will again be in the Napoli dugout, with Massimiliano Allegri suspended.

A few goals, he says

The part of the interview that matters most to us came next. "It's true that in the last game we managed to score a lot of goals, but we created chances in the other games too. Maybe we fell short in the finishing," the captain said. Then he got to the point: "We need to make up ground in the table."

On the defence, he said: "We've conceded a few goals. We're working with the coach and the staff to fine-tune these details, which matter in games like this."

«In fase difensiva abbiamo subito un po' di gol, stiamo lavorando col mister e con lo staff per limare questi dettagli che sono importanti in queste partite»

Here the captain is kinder than the fanbase. Eleven goals conceded in nine matchdays is not a detail to fine-tune. Nor is allowing 12 shots on Wednesday 28 October to a Monza side that had 35% of the ball.

One figure matters more than any other ahead of Turin. With Rrahmani on the pitch, Napoli concede between 0.69 and 0.72 goals a game. Without him, the figure is about 1.7. The number 13 took a blow to the sternum against Monza and has since been laid low by flu. Supporters who want Allegri to play a higher line and a braver team do not see this as a matter of details. Frankly, neither do we.

The rest of the interview was the Di Lorenzo we know. "This is a healthy group with strong values," he said of the dressing room. He has now matched Ciro Ferrara's appearance total and, across all competitions, Koulibaly's, and he paid tribute to both. "This is my eighth season here. It's always a pleasure to wear this shirt."

On the armband he chose his words carefully, as he should: "I never imagined I would become captain. It's a big responsibility. Maradona wore the armband here, it's a real responsibility."

He finished with an ambition that sits a little awkwardly next to the fourth-place target written into Allegri's contract, just as Højlund's did on Thursday 29 October. "In these years we've achieved important results, we've seen what it means to win here. I hope to bring home more trophies in the near future."

Napoli are seventh, 11 points behind Lazio and Inter and six behind fourth-placed Como. Before there is any talk of trophies, those details he wants to fine-tune have to be fixed on the pitch in Turin on Sunday night.