Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti is considering a three-pronged strikeforce for Thursday’s must-win Europa League cash with Arsenal.
Trailing 2-0 after last week’s first leg in London, Napoli will need to win 2-0 or by three clear goals if they are to keep their hopes of lifting the trophy alive.
Arkadiusz Milik, Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne all started Sunday’s 3-1 win over Chievo and a repeat could be on the cards in midweek. “Choosing the side for Thursday will be tough, but I think I’ll manage it,” Ancelotti told Sky Sport Italia. “All three strikers is a possibility.
I preserved Milik early in the season, but he can do great things that put him along the top strikers in Europe.” Reflecting on the first leg defeat, he added: “We were surprised by the Arsenal pressing game, as we couldn”t play our way out from the back and kept trying to do it rather than attempt long balls.
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Their second-half performance is more like the attitude they’ll have here at the San Paolo, so going for the counter-attack. “I chose Insigne and Mertens together because they are both quicker than Milik, so I wanted to use their pace.
I think next Thursday the key will be to play a lot of vertical passes.” Napoli’s win keeps them firmly in second place in Serie A – 17 points behind champions-elect Juventus but seven ahead of third-placed Inter Milan – and they now require only two wins from their final six games to ensure Champions League football next season.
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