New Venezia coach Nicola calls Napoli a great side

Davide Nicola was named Venezia head coach just hours before fronting his first press conference as the club's boss, replacing Giovanni Stroppa. Asked about Saturday's visit from Napoli, he did not play down the scale of the challenge.

Napoli have the qualities of a great team. I have tried to prepare the game around our own values. We are facing a strong side, with a great coach.

"We need to find a way of playing that we enjoy," he said. "When you decide to climb a very high peak, you know where you want to get to. What interests me is the weekly process that gives the team the identity it wants to have."

Mazzocchi update

Pasquale Mazzocchi, one of two former Napoli players — alongside Juan Jesus — set for a pre-match tribute at the Penzo, Venezia's home ground, also came up. Nicola gave a direct update: "I have spoken to him and to others. He seems to have sorted out his problems, and if there is a chance to bring him on we will discuss it with the medical staff and do it." The wording left the decision open, resting on the medical staff's view.

Napoli arrive at the Penzo eighth in Serie A on 10 points from six games (three wins, one draw, two defeats, 10 goals for and 6 against), behind Inter and Lazio on 16, Roma on 14 and Cagliari on 13. Their last league outing was a 3-0 win over Frosinone on 10 October; the 3-1 defeat at Villarreal on Tuesday belongs to the Champions League, a separate competition that does not affect the Serie A table. Head coach Allegri is weighing further changes to his starting eleven after that loss, with Lucca in line to start and De Bruyne and Højlund both set for the bench.

Nicola's comments land on the same day reports have surfaced of an unsettled Napoli dressing room following Villarreal, with talk of rotation gripes, a midfielder who ignored a tactical instruction, and a squad worn down by injuries. It is a strange thing to hear the coach of the bottom club call Napoli a "great team" while, inside that team, there is talk of exactly these problems — respect for the opponent does not make them go away.

Kick-off is at 15:00 CET (14:00 UK, 09:00 ET) on Saturday 17 October, with Juan Luca Sacchi refereeing and Fabbri on VAR; the game is live only on DAZN. It is Nicola's competitive debut on the Venezia bench. For Napoli, it is the first chance to show that this week's unease has not followed them onto the pitch.