At the most challenging moment of the season, with significant absences and constant adjustments, Scott McTominay has taken Napoli on his shoulders. Goals, character, and clear words. On the eve of the match against Juventus, the Scottish midfielder spoke to Sky Sport Insider and summarised the importance of the match in no uncertain terms. "We know what it means. It's the most important match, especially against Juventus. It's a historic rivalry, and the fans always remind us of that."
McTominay doesn't hide the difficulties that await the Azzurri at the Stadium. "We know it will be a very difficult match. It always is, both home and away. They have a great team," he explains, outlining the path forward. "We'll have to approach it by giving it everything we have, with intensity, focus, and maximum commitment."
The topic of leadership naturally arises, but the Scotsman immediately brings it back to the collective level. "We have many players capable of helping the team and guiding it, along with the coach and the staff. On the pitch, we need leaders, we need people who push everyone to improve."
The match against Juventus also brings back personal memories. "I remember my first match as a starter against them. I was very excited, nervous, but ready. It was a new phase in my career. I have great memories, and I think we were also a bit unlucky not to win that day."
Looking ahead, McTominay expects a tough, no-holds-barred match. "I expect a tough match, as always. They have great players and a strong attacking ability. Concentration, mental focus, maintaining the pace, and trying to get back to winning ways will be key for us."
The Scot also returned to his comments after the European Championship draw in Copenhagen, which have come under scrutiny. "I wasn't being critical. I just said it was unacceptable not to win that match, and that's true. We were playing against ten men and should have handled the situation better. But that's football." He then added: "Every match is an opportunity to show who we are and the progress we've made under Coach Conte. We've done very well so far, we've already won a trophy, and despite many injuries, we're still there."
Napoli's emergency has been a constant presence for weeks, but McTominay isn't looking for excuses. "That's football, injuries are part of the game. We've been unlucky, but those who came on have done very well. We can't let ourselves get discouraged; we have to keep working and give our all in every game."
Regarding his personal stats and his increasingly offensive role, the midfielder remains faithful to his pragmatism. "I don't think about numbers. I step onto the pitch to help the team, the staff, the coach, and the club. Wherever the manager asks me to play, it's not a problem. We're in a crisis, and sometimes you have to adapt." He concludes with a phrase that reads like a manifesto: "If you leave the pitch knowing you've given your all, you can't have any regrets."
Attached media
Conte: It's an unlikely situation, but we're not abandoning the game. Penalty? I hope for honesty...
TORINO - "I have little to say or blame on my players, who gave it their all. For the first time in my career, I brought on a player I'd never seen in training: this explains the situation we're experiencing.", declared Antonio Conte to Sky Sport microphones after Napoli's heavy 3-0 defeat at the Stadium against Juventus.
We know this situation exists, but we shouldn't cry. We're sailing in high seas, but we're not leaving the boat: we want to fight with all our strength, knowing this is an unbelievable situation., added the coach, underlining the resilience of his team.
TORINO - "We struggled in the first leg, but today we played well. We created a lot of chances. I'm happy with the goal and with the team. The Champions League? We want to continue like this. Now we'll rest and go to Monaco.", declared Kenan Yildiz to Sky Sport microphones, at the end of Juventus' 3-0 victory against Napoli on matchday 22 of Serie A.
At his side, Khephren Thuram added: "It's a very important team victory. We played well and struggled when we had to struggle. We've improved; compared to the first leg, we're playing better, and we hope to improve further."
A massive security deployment marked the afternoon of Sunday, January 25, 2026, in Turin, just hours before kickoff for Juventus-Napoli. The Turin Police Headquarters, with the assistance of the Highway Police and the Digos (Italian Special Operations Unit), intercepted a group of 300 Neapolitan ultras traveling to the Stadium, stopping them at the Trofarello toll booth and seizing a veritable arsenal.
At the time of the blockade, fans attempted to dispose of illegal material, but police recovered over 100 PVC poles, numerous smoke bombs and firecrackers, and two homemade explosive devices, which were promptly neutralized by the bomb squad. The alert had been raised that morning following violent clashes between Napoli and Lazio ultras on the A1 motorway in Frosinone.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
Reading the article, I realized that the pressure on McTominay is immense, even though he says he doesn't think about numbers. It's important to have players who take responsibility, but we also need to see if they can handle the pressure.