Luciano Spalletti responded to Massimiliano Allegri's claims that Napoli are Scudetto favourites by insisting the pressure is on second-place Juventus ahead of Friday's contest.
Juve are on a remarkable run of eight straight Serie A wins without conceding – their best such run since March 2018 – heading into the game at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Napoli remain seven points clear of their opponents, however, having lost just once all season – a 1-0 defeat to Inter last week that they responded to with victory over Sampdoria.
Allegri has constantly stressed finishing in the top four is Juve's main objective for the season and said on Thursday that the title is still Napoli's to lose.
However, Spalletti does not believe that is the case and joked it is impossible for Allegri to disguise the fact his side have more to lose than Napoli.
"I understand that for Allegri it is convenient to play as supporting actor," Spalletti said at his pre-match press conference.
"But for a Juve side that is always stuffed with champions it is impossible to hide from the role of favourites.
"Certain investments pay off only by playing for the Scudetto and winning the Champions League. It's useless putting on a hat or a fake beard. Fourth place doesn't satisfy Juve."
Spalletti is one win shy of equalling Carlo Ancelotti (275) for the most victories in Serie A since the 1983-84 season, with Allegri just behind on 273.
Napoli boast the best attack in the Italian top flight, with 39 goals in 17 matches, but they come up against the strongest defence as Juve have shipped only seven goals all term.
Asked if it will be a case of style over substance in the top-of-the-table clash, Spalletti said: "Sometimes you leave a mark more with the visible than what you bring home.
"We will do what we like and what the fans like. We had [Maurizio] Sarri here before, who won nothing but people talk only about his football and his values.
"There was also [Rafael] Benitez, who won a couple of titles and was well-spoken of but didn't impress in the same way as Sarri, so you have to be careful.
"Juventus are good at dropping down in front of the penalty area. Then there's the will of the football you want to play and the skills you think your players have.
"Then you consider whether you can like it as a spectacle beyond the wins."
Napoli are unbeaten in their past two Serie A games against Juve (W1 D1), though not since 2011 under Walter Mazzarri have they gone on a longer unbeaten run in this fixture.
Medvedev battles into French Open second round after Koepfer triumph
Daniil Medvedev staved off a Dominik Koepfer fightback to record a battling victory in the French Open first round on Monday.
The world number five raced out the blocks on Court Simonne-Mathieu and eventually triumphed 6-3 6-4 5-7 6-3 in Paris.
Medvedev, a five-time major runner-up and 2021 US Open champion, broke Koepfer's first service game in the French capital with that a seeming sign of things to come.
Though the 28-year-old dropped his serve in the first set, Medvedev had little trouble in responding with the score finely poised at 3-2 to claim first blood at Roland-Garros.
The fifth seed has only ever gone as far as the quarter-finals, three years ago, at the French Open but showed his clinical best to snatch the second set after holding all six service games for a narrow triumph.
World number 65 Koepfer battled back in the third but the resilient Medvedev responded by breaking his German opponent early in the fourth set, finally securing victory in just over three hours.
Data Debrief: Medvedev gets better of Koepfer again
Medvedev has won all four of his meetings with Koepfer, with his most recent such victory seeing him reach the second round at Roland-Garros for the third time in eight attempts.
Since the start of the 2021 season, Medvedev is 27-1 against players ranked outside the top 50 at major events, with his only loss in that run coming against Seyboth Wild in the French Open first round last year.
Koepfer, meanwhile, extends to 1-17 against top-10 players in his career, earning his only such victory against over Gael Monfils – then ranked ninth in the world – at the 2020 ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome.
Al-Nassr 4-2 Al-Ittihad: Ronaldo breaks Saudi Pro League scoring record in final-day win
Cristiano Ronaldo claimed a piece of Saudi Pro League history after scoring twice in Al-Nassr's 4-2 final-day victory over 10-man Al-Ittihad on Monday.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was on target in either half at Al Awal Park, moving to 35 goals across the 2023-24 league campaign in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time after receiving a long ball from Mohammed Al-Fatil, before doubling his tally – and Al-Nassr's lead – with a header from Marcelo Brozovic's corner.
That second finish after Suwailem Al Manhali was dismissed for the visitors saw Ronaldo eclipse Abderrazak Hamdallah's 34-goal tally – in the 2018-19 season – for the most strikes in a single campaign.
Abdulrahman Ghareeb then added another from the penalty spot before Meshari Al Nemer made sure of three points after late goals from Farhah Al Shamrani and Fabinho had pulled Al-Ittihad back into contention.
Having already been unable to stop Al-Hilal secure the title, Al-Nassr finish second in the table – ending on 82 points after 26 wins from the 34-match campaign.
Data Debrief: Al-Nassr dominance pays off
Much will be made of the record-breaking Ronaldo, who has scored 50 goals in as many games across all competitions this season.
Yet Al-Nassr were dominant from the off in this one, mustering nine shots on target to Al-Ittihad's three, while accumulating 2.73 expected goals (xG) – far superior to the visitors' 1.43 xG.
Sakkari crashes out in French Open first round after Gracheva upset
Varvara Gracheva produced an eye-catching upset after sending Maria Sakkari crashing out of the French Open on Monday.
World number 88 Gracheva battled to a 3-6 6-4 6-3 victory on Court Simonne-Mathieu, claiming a notable Roland-Garros scalp in the first round.
Gracheva clinched five of six break points in an impressive fightback after falling a set down in Paris to sixth seed Sakkari.
Her reward will be a second-round meeting with Bernarda Pera, who overcame Japan's Nao Hibino in straight sets on the same day.
Data Debrief: Gracheva earns top-10 scalp
Gracheva will be bidding to make the third round in Paris for the third time in her career after Sakkari became the first big-name exit in the women's draw.
This victory against world number eight Sakkari marked Gracheva's fourth top-10 win in her career, and second win against such opponents in major events.
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