Luciano Spalletti is confident Napoli will bounce back when they face Milan in the Champions League quarter-finals, having seen his side suffer a crushing 4-0 defeat against the Rossoneri.
The Serie A leaders collapsed at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday, as the outstanding Rafael Leao scored twice for Stefano Pioli's rampant visitors.
While Napoli remain 16 points clear of their closest rivals Lazio, the defeat is their heaviest in Serie A since a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Atalanta in December 2007.
With Napoli looking certain to end a 33-year wait to win the Scudetto, their upcoming Champions League tie with Milan represents their most important assignment remaining this season, and Spalletti expects the Partenopei to improve for those games.
Asked whether the result represented a bump in the road for Napoli, Spalletti said: "Let's hope it's a hole and not a chasm.
"Tonight I saw great willingness on the part of the boys, I'm very confident. We'll go back to work tomorrow morning for the next one.
"Here, we played against the Italian champions, they are a team of the highest level. Last year they deservedly won the title – if you get something wrong you'll get a clear result."
Asked whether the result could have a psychological impact on the Champions League tussle, he added: "We don't know.
"We've always reacted since I've been here. Sometimes we've lost a few games, but we have always reacted."
Napoli have lost two of their last three home games in Serie A (W1), as many defeats as they suffered in their previous 20 league matches in Naples.
Spalletti's side also recorded 20 shots without scoring in a league game for the first time since December 2021, when they managed 26 attempts in a 1-0 defeat to Spezia.
Napoli visit Lecce in their next Serie A game on Friday, before travelling to San Siro for the first leg of their Champions League last-eight tie five days later.
Nashville SC v San Jose Earthquakes: ‘A win would change everything’ - Godoy
Anibal Godoy insists that Nashville are already looking at their game against San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday as a must-win.
Nashville have won just once in the MLS this season and sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference after a run of four without a win.
The Earthquakes, meanwhile, are bottom of the Western Conference having lost eight of their matches and recording just one win.
Godoy is aware of how their poor start to the season could affect their playoff hopes later down the line but is confident that Nashville can turn things around.
He said: “For us, it's an important week. It's a day we have to win, or we'll start to feel the pressure from other teams as they start to separate in the table.
“This league is long but if we want to get to the playoff you have to win games early on, especially at home.”
Liverpool agree compensation deal for Slot
Liverpool and Feyenoord have reached an agreement in principle over a compensation deal for Arne Slot to become the Reds’ manager next season, according to widespread Dutch media reports.
The Dutchman is reportedly poised to take over from Jurgen Klopp, who announced in January that he would be leaving the club at the end of the campaign.
Slot led Feyenoord to their second Eredivisie title last season after taking over the club in 2021.
It is believed that he topped the list of Liverpool’s favoured candidates due to his attacking playing style and ability to develop players.
Former Liverpool midfielder, Xabi Alonso, who led Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, and Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim were also reported contenders to take over from Klopp.
Slot had already confirmed his interest in managing in the Premier League, both earlier this week and previously when he was linked to Tottenham in 2023.
QPR 4-0 Leeds United: Shock loss for Farke's men seals Leicester's promotion
QPR thrashed Leeds United 4-0 in the Championship on Friday, ensuring Leicester City booked their promotion straight back to the Premier League.
Ilias Chair was the star for the Hoops as he scored the opener and assisted two more goals to ensure QPR will stay in the Championship for another season.
Lucas Andersen, Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field also got their names on the scoresheet in an emphatic win for Marti Cifuentes' side.
Leeds' heaviest defeat of the season was a huge blow in the race for an automatic promotion spot, with Ipswich Town just one point behind them in third place with two games in hand going into their away clash against Hull City on Saturday.
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