“Allegri fits the Juve motto ‘winning is all that matters’. Here in Naples, we’re all about heart and soul. Maradona played here, won here and in winning here he showcased how beautiful football can be. We can’t play our football without a nod to that aesthetic legacy.”
That’s how Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti described the difference between his team and Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus ahead of Friday night’s potentially season-defining clash at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
You can argue the toss about the aesthetic qualities of Juventus under Allegri, but Spalletti was certainly right about the winning part. Indeed, during Allegri’s first stint in charge of the Old Lady, Juventus won more major honours than Napoli have in their entire history – five Serie A titles in five years, plus four Coppa Italia for good measure.