At 03:00 Beijing time (CEST) on September 10, SSC Napoli will host Arsenal FC in the first matchday of the Champions League group stage. Ahead of the match, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, captain of SSC Napoli, attended a press conference.

Good evening, captain. Does this match come at a good time for you? How has the team reacted and responded after the defeat to Inter?

In my opinion, the timing is perfect. After a defeat, getting back out to play immediately, especially in an important match like this, is good. We are eager to play well and start our Champions League campaign on a positive note. We have carefully analyzed the mistakes we made over the past few weeks, so we are ready for tomorrow's match to perform brilliantly.

Good evening, captain. Assuming that defending is a responsibility of the entire team and not just the back line, have you reviewed why you conceded five goals in two matches?

Yes, we have certainly reviewed those mistakes. Conceding three goals in one half is something that upset us greatly. It shows that we made errors in certain areas, and starting tomorrow, we must do better. When you face a strong team competing at the highest level, even small mistakes are severely punished by such a formidable opponent. From this perspective, we must play a complete match and be fully committed to success.

Good evening, captain. I'd like to follow up on the defensive question. Has coach Allegri given you specific defensive instructions?

Of course. He has instructed us to play more aggressively, cover more attacking spaces, and limit possession when the opposition has the ball. That means when we don't have the ball, we need to learn to show "patience" and work hard on the pitch, because that's what matters. In the first few matches of the season, everyone's physical condition may not yet be back to 100% fitness, so we are working hard to improve in this area.

The coach has mentioned several times at the start of this season that the team needs to improve control of game tempo and management of different phases. However, in the past, our team has often struggled when the pace slows down, we don't have the ball, and we have to deal with pressure from the opposition. We saw this to varying degrees in the first three matches. So from your perspective, what can be done now to correct this historical weakness that every SSC Napoli coach has spoken about?

As I just said, we need to learn to be willing to give and show patience on the pitch, work together as a team to defend, and we need to manage the different phases of the match better. That means we need to read and understand the various situations we face in the match more clearly. We also need to "defend through possession," which means learning to use ball movement to organize our defense when we cannot attack. We need to manage different possession phases well. We have worked on and trained these details over the past few days.

Tomorrow will be Napoli's first Champions League match of the season at the Maradona Stadium, facing a team with deep roots and a renowned reputation. So what do you most want to show? Greater commitment, greater determination to fight relentlessly, or greater courage? Or do you want to display all of these qualities?

Of course, we will face a very strong opponent. They are the Premier League champions and were runners-up in this competition last season. So this is a very important clash, but it's also a challenge that motivates us to test our true level. This is an extremely important match, and of course we want to perform better than last season and show that from the first match. So right now the entire team is highly focused and fully committed to the game plan we need to execute.

Good evening, captain. Coach Allegri has said that this team needs to improve not just ball control but also physical condition. I'd like to ask: how far has your physical condition developed? What main aspects of targeted training are you focusing on regarding fitness and athleticism? Or how are you working on both fitness and control?

Yes, as I mentioned before, in the first few matches of this season, our physical condition clearly cannot be at 100%. It's very hot, and while not an excuse, it has affected our bodies in the first few matches. As I said, we need to give our all both with and without the ball and try to correct the mistakes that occurred in the first few matches.

Good evening, captain. From a tactical perspective, what do you think are the main differences and new changes in coach Allegri's requirements compared to coach Conte last season?

But I think we shouldn't always compare ourselves to last season. Last season is in the past, and we have started a new journey with the new coach. We have worked together for about a month and a half now, and everyone is gradually integrating more deeply into his tactical philosophy, understanding the style of play he wants his team to display. So while time is never enough in football, we are now at the beginning of a new phase. We will do our utmost to implement his football philosophy. He is a highly experienced coach, so the entire team is working hard to absorb and take in his ideas as quickly as possible.

Good evening, captain. My question is: in the closing stages of the last match, we saw the team switch to a five-at-the-back formation. Is this something you practiced during the week's training? That is, is it an alternative to your main 4-3-3 formation? In this new formation, would you prefer to play as a right center-back in a three-man defense, or do you prefer to play as a fullback going up and down the flank?

We practice different tactical alternatives during the week's training sessions. Because in modern football, matches are divided into many different phases, and you must learn to do different things in each phase. Yes, we train various complex scenarios that might occur during a match. As for my personal position on the pitch, it doesn't make much difference to me. Over the past few years, I have mostly played as a right center-back in a three-man defense rather than as a fullback. But as long as the team needs it, I can play either position without any problem.

Good evening, captain. The match against Arsenal FC will be very difficult. One of Arsenal FC's most powerful weapons, which you must have studied through video analysis, is their transition game—their excellent ability to win 50/50 balls and press immediately after losing possession to launch their next attack. Will this be one of the key factors in tomorrow's match? That is, you need to be very clear about when to retain possession and transition, and when to play a long ball directly to penetrate. Kevin De Bruyne comes to mind—he's a player who thinks faster on the pitch than others...

Yes, that's what I mentioned before. That's about reading and controlling the different phases of the match, knowing what to do and when to do it—not reacting randomly. As I just said, tomorrow we will face a powerhouse, but we also want to display our full potential. When you compete at the highest level like the Champions League, facing elite players and top teams is absolutely normal. The fact that SSC Napoli can stand here and compete with them means that SSC Napoli is also a strong team with excellent players.

So everyone is filled with a strong desire to play against a strong opponent and excited to take part in a match like this. After all, these are the most beautiful and thrilling moments in a career. So let me emphasize once more: we are ready for tomorrow. The Maradona Stadium will be packed with people, the atmosphere on a Champions League night will surely be amazing, and we are ready and full of fighting spirit.

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