Five reasons why Napoli will win the Scudetto this season
By jc
3. Koulibaly and Manolas form a formidable duo
Kalidou Koulibaly had an impressive season for Napoli last year. He cemented himself as one of the best center backs in Serie A and all the world. It comes as no surprise that Koulibaly won the Serie A Defender of the Year earlier this week.
Napoli’s defense still struggled at times, however, because Koulibaly lacked many reliable partners on defense. Raúl Albiol no longer had the fitness to handle a full season, and players like Nikola Maksimović and Vlad Chiricheș were not capable of starting roles. To solve this issue, Napoli brought in Kostas Manolas from Roma for $40 million.
Napoli’s acquisition of Manolas didn’t make headlines like Juventus’s move for Matthijs de Ligt. De Ligt is a bigger name, but Manolas will have a bigger impact for his club. Manolas is better-equipped to handle the smaller forwards who tend to dominate in Italy.
He is more mobile than de Ligt, and he has better pace. Plus, unlike de Ligt, Manolas will not need to adjust to a new league. Manolas played the last five seasons for Roma, so he is familiar with the Serie A style of play.
Alongside Koulibaly, Manolas gives Napoli something the squad has lacked in its seven year run: a dynamic duo of center backs. Both players have the combination of size and mobility to suffocate attacks and dominate games from the backend.
Napoli also acquired Giovanni Di Lorenzo from Empoli to join Koulibaly and Manolas. Di Lorenzo plays right back, and he fits in as another strong defender who can handle quick wingers. Napoli should end this season with one of the best defensive groups in Serie A.