Lawyer Domenico La Marca spoke on `1 Football Club`, a radio program hosted by Luca Cerchione on 1 Station Radio. Here is an excerpt from the interview.
How do you judge Napoli`s performance against Empoli?
Napoli did their job by beating Empoli with an authoritative performance. It was not easy to take to the field with the pressure of having to respond to Inter, but the Azzurri proved to be up to the task, having the great merit of keeping the interest alive in this Scudetto race where, thanks to Conte`s team, we are witnessing an exciting duel that has not been seen for years. Napoli, despite the absence of three key players, proved to be solid, and especially in the second half, we saw a determined team that strongly wanted to close the match as soon as possible.
With Empoli, Lukaku had important numbers. How do you rate the Belgian striker`s season six games from the end?
Lukaku`s only problem was arriving late, without doing pre-season training with the team, but it wasn`t his fault. Already against Bologna, he impressed me by playing a very high-level first half. Against Empoli, he was the best player on the pitch, a true offensive playmaker as demonstrated by the two assists for Mctominay, the second with a truly sumptuous touch, but also a skilled area striker as in the case of Napoli`s second goal that practically closed the match. Lukaku increasingly seems like a leader also in terms of character for this team. Reaching double figures both in terms of goals and assists with still six games to play is proof of how decisive this player is proving to be for this Napoli.
Mctominay is having a fantastic season. Do you think he was the best signing of last summer in all of Serie A?
Mctominay was one of the great signings of the entire summer European market, a dominant player who is one step away from double figures in terms of goals in his first season in Italy and who at the same time manages with his extraordinary physical qualities to recover an impressive amount of balls, helping to give the right tactical balance to the team. Against Empoli, he scored a brace that demonstrates all his qualities: a goal with a shot from outside the area, which has been somewhat lacking for Napoli this season, and the second goal with a true striker`s insertion.
How do you judge the Scudetto race six games from the end?
The next matchday could prove crucial. Napoli will have the opportunity to put pressure on Inter if they do their job on Saturday in Monza, while the Nerazzurri, after the Champions League fatigue, will be expected to face a tough match against Bologna, fresh from their defeat in Bergamo, who therefore need to redeem themselves immediately if they want to pursue the dream of returning immediately to the Champions League.
How do you rate Juventus` victory against Lecce?
Juventus managed to take advantage of a theoretically favorable round by beating Lecce and gaining points on all the rivals chasing the Champions League, with the exception of Atalanta. Against Lecce, there were important signs of growth from Juventus who with Tudor are finding energy and enthusiasm again. The coach is trying to give greater certainties to the team group, just think about how he is working on Vlahovic, who was decisive with two assists, but also on a tactical level where his contribution is already visible, despite the little time he has had available. In fact, players like Koopmeiners and Yildiz in the attacking midfield with Lecce were freer to make an impact.
What do you think of a possible confirmation of Tudor?
Tudor needs to be allowed to work calmly. There are still six games with two potential direct clashes, Lazio and Bologna, and above all, a Champions League to secure, without forgetting the Club World Cup. Clearly, if Juventus were to achieve Champions League qualification with relative ease and if the technical-tactical progress under the guidance of this coach were to continue, especially also regarding the centrality of some players in whom Juventus has invested, such as Koopmeiners, or on whom they are betting heavily, such as Yildiz, there would be valid reasons for the coach`s confirmation.