Naples, Wednesday 14 January 2026 – Head Coach Carlos Cuesta's remarks following Napoli vs Parma, the Serie A Matchday 16 fixture.

“It was a very difficult match and we knew going in just how tough the opposition would be. Still, I was convinced the team were ready to put in a strong performance and get a result. I’m really pleased with the players’ willingness to sacrifice and with the quality of our defending — there are so many positives to take.

Of course, we’d like to win the ball back higher up the pitch, but that’s not always easy against sides like this. At the heart of any success there’s hard work, a lot of hard work, and a strong team spirit, and that’s something the players showed tonight.

The result comes from the performance, and that can be judged in different ways. We were solid: we stayed compact, knew when to absorb pressure, and that comes from the strength of the group. We also managed to create some danger, even if perhaps not as much as we’d have liked.

As for the team selection, there are players who are ready and others who are just as ready but didn’t play — like Djurić and Cremaschi — and they deserve minutes too. In the end, you have to make choices. You can’t play everyone, even when they deserve it. For me, that’s the real strength of this group: spirit and solidity. The points came from that spirit, the willingness to sacrifice and give everything. The players are the ones who go out there and put in performances that add real value to the team.

Rinaldi? Pippo played very well and fully deserved what he experienced today. Now our focus has to shift to Sunday, because we need to take points from that game. We’re still a long way from where we want to be, and we’re aiming to raise our level even further.”