Napoli, Di Lorenzo irreplaceable, but there are problems
- Anthony Privetera
The numbers don't lie, Giovanni Di Lorenzo is the most deployed player by Ancelotti this season, the man with the most minutes in the Napoli shirt playing over 18 games and featuring for 1620 minutes in total (more than club icons Kalidou Koulibaly (1482 ') and Fabian Ruiz (1476'). He is always present, always playing for 90 minutes, with the sole exception of the challenge won in Lecce on September 22 in which he remained to watch his teammates from the bench.
After arriving in the summer from Empoli for 8 million euros plus bonuses, the former Reggina player convinced, as a right-back and, if necessary, as a left-back or right-wing midfielder. A handyman who did not suffer from making the leap from a small side to a huge club, giving credit to those who did everything to assist him in the process, notably sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli.
Di Lorenzo earned the confidence of Napoli and Mancini, who after making him debut against Liechtenstein, is thinking of calling him for the next European championships in 2020.
Di Lorenzo is reliable, but the signs of the last few weeks should not be underestimated. He is simply not used to playing two games a week, in the last few challenges he seemed tired.
To be it simply, the man needs rest. He has a long and colourful career ahead of him. It is true that Ancelotti does not have Hysaj and Ghoulam in his rotations, but he cannot pull the rope too much on his own. Di Lorenzo is important, and because of this must be kept in optimal condition.
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