Rudi Garcia Press Conference Ahead of Lazio Match

Sky – I ask you for two opinions, the first on the Champions League group after yesterday’s draw, the second is on the work you have done to strengthen the team on the market this summer with the club.
Garcia:  Ok, I’ll answer even if the market isn’t closed, but I’ll answer these questions and then let’s just talk about Napoli-Lazio please.  On the Champions League draw, it could have been worse, it could have been better, this is how I see it.  Real Madrid remains one of the biggest clubs in the world world so I am doubly happy to play against Real Madrid, first because they are a great team and second because it is a fair return of things considering that in 2015/2016 I had qualified Roma for the round of 16, for which the draw was Real Madrid. However, I was not allowed to play this double challenge, but we will have time to talk about it in detail.  The market is not closed. I think there will be no more big changes or moves going in or out. Instead, I think Hirving Lozano and Diego Demme will leave, however, they are still our players at the moment.

Rai – In the past you often and willingly beat Sarri in direct clashes. It happened with Roma then you also beat him in the Champions League with Lyon. Now, to make a joke, are you more afraid of Sarri’s revenge or fear a Lazio that, after two out of two KOs, needs to score points? 
Garcia:  The clash between two teams, between the Napoli team and the Lazio team, is not a clash between coaches and therefore the past is the past. Now there is a match for us to win tomorrow because six points out of six is good, but nine out of nine is better. So it’s our goal to get three wins in a row because when you have a three point championship, which has been that way for a while now, in normal football let’s say, winning three times in a row gives you a good place in the standings and above all it allows you to take points from your direct opponents, let’s say, and Lazio is one of those. 

Sport Italia – I wanted to ask for your opinion on the newcomer Lindstrøm and above all if we could possibly see him against Lazio
Garcia:  Of course I’m happy that Jesper has arrived. Let’s say he’s one more talent in our squad, but then he arrives in a team that has already played two games that has already won two games. And then he arrived, naturally, because Hirving Lozano left for various reasons, not only sporting [reasons], because a player always has a sporting side and an economic side. And therefore, I liked the player sportingly but here economically it wasn’t possible to keep him so we looked for a strong player with future prospects for the our squad and I’m glad he arrived yesterday, because he’s truly a player who had an important season with Frankfurt last year. Perhaps you’ve also seen him up close and then he’s a player for his national team Denmark and therefore he’s a player who has full quality. By saying this, I also tell you another thing about how it works. It’s not because new players arrive that we forget those who are in the squad and I have always given importance, especially when there is a new player arriving, to those who are already in the squad. Why? Because it’s normal for the coach to trust whoever is here, it’s only because we get stronger that we immediately change the whole game system, players and everything, so Jesper won’t start from the first minute. He’ll be on the bench and then let’s see if there’s it’s the opportunity for him to show what he can do, knowing that once the national team matches are over and I have the whole squad hopefully without any physical problems, we make our debut in Genoa and then it will be seven games in a row in a short period. So, everyone will have the space to show their qualities and Jesper in the first place.

La Gazzetta dello Sport – I stick to the discussion we have had up to now, i.e. of technical-tactical quality, as you already knew him, Lindstrom, what kind of position will he have, not talking about tomorrow of course?
Garcia:  For me he can play all places, not only in attack, on the wings, maybe even a player who can be paired with a center forward, for example. He’s a fast player, he’s a player who has a sense for the goal and therefore he’s a player, an interesting resource in the sense that, like Lozano, he can play on both wings and has a similar style, let’s say.

La Repubblica – Regarding Kvaratskhelia, I’d like to ask you if he’s feeling better after this additional week of training and therefore if he could increase his playing time after starting on the bench against Sassuolo
Garcia:  Yes, he’s fine, obviously it was important for him to have another full week. He did it and then we’ll see if he’s part of the bench or starts from the first minute, let’s not give information to the opponents.

Corriere della Sera – Your competitor said Lazio before, so tomorrow the opponent’s level will rise compared to the first two days. What do you want the team to keep from the first two games and what should they avoid [doing] considering the value of the opponent compared to what we saw in the first two?
Garcia:  Let me remind you that Frosinone won their second match, and not against a small team either. So, therefore, I also value our victory in Frosinone. Sassuolo is always a squad that plays well. They showed it in the last quarter of an hour in the first half. The thing I liked was that not only did we play well offensively, we scored goals and we could have scored more against Sassuolo. We know where we need to improve, getting more shots on target, but we conceded little and I’m also talking about the 11 against 11 during the 60 minutes against Sassuolo. This is a good thing, it means that every one of my players who is on the pitch defends, helps his team and so we have to continue because if you don’t concede a goal it’s a lot easier to win the match.

Chronache di Napoli – I wanted to talk about Lobotka for a moment because in the first two games, one might observe that he was, perhaps not less involved in the game, but had fewer touches of the ball, I also ask you for about the tactical choice to remove a point of reference from the opponents or is there a desire to develop something new compared to the past?
Garcia:  I don’t know about the past so I can’t tell you if I’m developing something different. I play my football and I’ll explain something to you. A team that depends only on one player, whether it’s a center forward who only he scores goals or only a playmaker who makes plays, is a team in danger. Because it is enough for the opponent to shut down your strong point and you are really in great difficulty. Instead in our squad, in my team, I want the centre-backs, the full-backs, Frank Zambo-Anguissa, Zielinski, Elmas, Jens Cajuste, all those who can play in midfield can also lend a hand in the buildup of play, not only Stan, who is obviously an expert at this. And therefore, I too am fine that sometimes he will touch the ball fewer times, as long as the others do it and do it well, above all.

Il Mattino – How much of this Napoli is what you already had in mind, and second, I wanted to ask you how much you fear this Lazio and this Sarri, who for Naples, remembers an extraordinary period, a team that put on a show even if he didn’t win then the Scudetto
Garcia:  It’s a quality team, this is obvious, then they’re not in their place since they’re among the last, they have zero points out of six, so the urgency for points is obviously there for them. So, I don’t know what we can expect, maybe a Lazio team that is closed and we have to manage this too, this situation by being good at creating space and not only creating chances but scoring goals. But then, I would say that, it doesn’t matter who we are dealing with, what matters first of all is us, because I always manage the match and therefore we are not yet 100% on this, obviously. However, we are improving, we are improving because some players return with already more complete preparation thanks to the first two last league games. Some have almost finished their preparation during the first two of the championship. And therefore, it’s also normal that we are not yet at 100%, above all because we have to last. It’s not like everything will stop at the end of November and we can catch our breath, no. We will play even, if it seems, during Christmas or New Year’s Eve. And therefore, we have to last. It is important that the squad is ready to answer my questions and not only with the 11 starters from the start, this is obvious

Il Corriere dello Sport – what has the market changed in the economy of the championship in the last few days? With the arrival of Lukaku and possibly other arrivals, has the distance between Napoli and the others narrowed?
Garcia:  I focus on my team, It’s enough. We prepare well, we play well. Obviously I already answered this, there are other strong teams in Italy. I don’t need to name them all, you know them better than me.  But we will fight hard to stay at the top. At the moment we’re on six points out of six. It’s not that the ranking counts but it’s the points that count, so we just need to do nine out of nine and then we’ll see. You know, there’s always a team on paper and then there’s always the team’s expression on the pitch. So it’s like this for us too. We have to express ourselves well in football because this leads you to victories over the others, I can’t say much for the moment.

Canale 8 – 15-20 minutes into the last game in which Napoli lowered itself, it was an occasional event, it was determined by the opponent’s attitude, it was also a choice due to the strong heat. In short, given what happened, are you concerned considering that Napoli will face a team like Lazio who are very technical and capable of playing between the lines and it can become an issue if your boys drop even so much for a fairly consistent period of time?
Garcia:  There’s a bit of everything. It’s not that we play alone, 11 against zero. There is the opponent who, as you said, can also be good and Sassuolo are very good at dribbling. And then, there was, as you said, perhaps a situation that will slowly disappear with these temperatures that even at 8.45 pm it is very difficult for the two teams to maintain the rhythm of the game. But then, it’s not entirely the other way around. We must be concerned about this. I also like that if there is a moment during the match where we are a little lower and lose the ball, it’s okay as long as we do not concede anything to the opponent. And so it was in these 12 minutes against Sassuolo, so we need to do this. I don’t know any squad, not even City, who are dominant in 38 league games out of 38 for 90 minutes, now it’s more like 100 minutes out of 100 minutes, because there are rivals, there are moments, and that means that the team, I hope, will also have this quality.

Radio CRC – A question about Osimhen. Among the centre forwards you’ve had in your career, you have had some really strong ones, tell us more or less where Osimhen places considering that he’s already scored three goals in the league, and then, tell us at what point you will insert Natan in the group
Garcia:  On Natan, I already answered. Leave him be, he still needs to develop. He’s still in development I would say, because he still has many things to learn. But he too will have his moment like everyone who has arrived and all those who are in the squad hoping that I will have as few injuries as possible. On Victor, It’s not like we can make a comparison in history because at 24. I hope he will be able to do many more great seasons, especially with us, but right now in football, he is currently one of the strongest in the world, this is obvious.

Napoli Magazine – from June to the first of September, what balance can we make of the first Neapolitan Garcia who is living this new adventure? Clearly the pressures are manageable because the team is strong and then I wanted to ask you if it was possible to know your personal ambition in the long term. What can Garcia be with this Napoli, with this team and with these beliefs that you are pursuing?
Garcia:  I’m happy, I’m content to work here with my boys, my staff. And then I’m learning a bit about the city within the context you mentioned here, but the important thing is to win games and we won the first two and therefore, maximum concentration on that of tomorrow and so on. So look, normally we say for politicians, maybe we should judge after 100 days. We are not yet at 100 days but we are almost there. As I said, I think we are not 100% ready yet but growth is right and we are on the right track, let’s say.