Gianni Parisio, a journalist from PassioneInter, was a guest on the radio program “1 Football Club,” hosted by Luca Cerchione on 1 Station Radio. Here are some key points from his interview:
Who do you think Inzaghi will start against Lazio?
Inzaghi will field close to the starting lineup, as it`s a crucial match, especially following Napoli`s recent stumble against Genoa. He listed a potential lineup: Sommer; Bisseck, De Vrij, Calhanoglu; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Dimarco; Taremi, Thuram.
You mentioned Napoli`s slip-up against Genoa: has that put Inter back in the Scudetto race?
Yes, purely based on the numbers, I`d definitely say so. It`s true there are only two matchdays left, but tomorrow Conte`s team faces Parma, who are a tricky side that plays well. They`ve already held Juventus and Inter, passed tests against big teams, and still need points for survival. Since Chivu took over, they even beat Fiorentina. They are a lively, competitive team and will approach the match with great intensity, just like they did against Inter. However, Napoli must avoid being overcome by tension or the fear of a mistake. So, honestly, anything could happen tomorrow. I don`t necessarily expect a slip-up because Conte is far from naive, but, I repeat, anything is possible tomorrow.
After the draw against Genoa, who do you see as the Scudetto favorite between Antonio Conte`s Napoli and Simone Inzaghi`s Inter?
Napoli is still one point ahead, so their destiny is in their own hands. Inter needs to win their next two games and hope Napoli slips up again, perhaps even tomorrow. However, recently, Napoli`s biggest obstacle has been themselves: the tension and anxiety of winning are playing tricks on them. Everything could be decided tomorrow, because next Sunday against Cagliari, it will likely be just a formality.
Knowing Antonio Conte, do you think it`s possible he`s already in talks with Juventus, as reported by various newspapers?
There`s been speculation about his potential departure for weeks. In my opinion, it`s very likely that Conte will leave Napoli at the end of the season. There`s a strong sense – widely reported – of a potential return to Juventus, and I personally believe it`s quite possible. There are even rumors that he`s already been to Turin. If Napoli doesn`t win the Scudetto, that would provide another reason for him to leave. In my view, there are already underlying issues; for example, what happened with Kvaratskhelia not being replaced when Napoli was leading the league, or the fact that Conte rarely plays Okafor, seemingly for reasons more tied to personal issues than tactical decisions. There`s also talk of signing a player like De Bruyne, perhaps as a signal to the manager. But honestly, I think Conte`s focus is already elsewhere.