AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho has conceded that Napoli are the Champions of Italy and doesn’t see his team competing for the title at the end of the season.
Ahead of the encounter with the Serie A table leader, Mourinho has already congratulated them for winning the title even at the halfway point of the season.
Luciano Spalletti’s team currently sits on top of the table with 12 points over the other team. In 19 matches, the Napoli team has lost only one match, losing just three points in the process.
AS Roma, Lazio, Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Atlanta are currently chasing the Napoli side for the title, but Mourinho claimed that the second half of the season is already over.
Napoli have 50 points from 19 matches, with reigning champions AC Milan currently in second place with 38 points. Lazio are placed in third place with 37 points.
Mourinho’s AS Roma currently sit in fifth place with 37 points.
The Portuguese manager claims that it is impossible for the two Milan teams to chase Napoli because they don’t have the resources and consistency to stop them.
Mourinho explained that no single team can win six to seven matches in a row. Since Napoli are the only team capable of going seven matches without losing, they should be named the Champions.
The last meeting between these two teams ended in favor of Napoli, with Victor Osimhen scoring a late goal.
If AS Roma defeat Napoli at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, the point difference between them and the leaders will be reduced to 10 points.
Since between 1985 and 1989, Napoli has gone four straight home league games against Roma without losing; this is their longest such stretch (a run of seven).
AS Roma have gone unbeaten in the last five league matches. The team also lost once. It is going to be a difficult game for Napoli, but their attacking strength has been their secret to winning matches.
The AS Roma manager also addressed the issues surrounding Nicolo Zaniolo and Rick Karsdorp. Both players have been dropped from the squad. Mourinho said Karsdorp will be out of the squad as long as he wants.
Somebody lied about what really happened with Karsdorp, and it gave him a bad impression. It is not good for the club.
He commented that Zaniolo is ready to stay with them, and he told his teammates that he doesn’t have the intention of leaving the club before the end of the season.
The winger has been linked with a move to Tottenham, but Mourinho sees him as an important player in the squad. He wants to keep him in a bid to qualify for the Champions League.
