Monday December 20 2010
'Napoli late show is no coincidence'

Walter Mazzarri claims Napoli's fantastic habit of winning games in added time isn't a coincidence.

Remarkably, three of Napoli's four wins in a row have been sealed with a goal after the 90th minute mark.

Pundits are now beginning to talk of a Zona Mazzarri rather than a Zona Cesarini when referring to leaving it late to win a game.

Interviewed on Radio Anch'io lo Sport, he said: "It's not just a coincidence. I would underline the fact that we won in added time because we deserved to get off the mark earlier.

"I do the last team talk an hour and a half before kick off and I always say: 'We are playing until the 95th minutes'. It's part of the mentality that I want to give to the team - to fight for five minutes extra.

"Extra time is important. It has to be considered because often the others undervalue it by wasting time and defending without a sense of order."

Napoli go into the winter break just three points behind League leaders Milan, who lost at home to Roma on Saturday.

Asked about the title race, Mazzarri said: "The favourites are those teams who have the best squads, the usual big clubs.

"There is Roma as well as Juve and Milan. For me, they have a great squad and can easily recover the seven points [that separate them from the top]. And then there is always Inter."
