3x3: Di Francesco, Napoli and the best club stadium in the world

Third-generation Roma fan Alex Angelori is joined by brothers Anthony and Giuseppe Zomparelli as they give their opinions on three topical football questions…

The Roma Question: What’s the biggest difference Eusebio Di Francesco has made to this Roma squad?

Alex / @alcrissam: “Eusebio Di Francesco’s ability to prove the doubters wrong has been tremendous. He came into a volatile situation and not only remained calm throughout, but has gotten some nice results. Many people did not have faith in his system succeeding, but he is exceeding expectations while growing the squad tactically and mentally.”

Anthony / @Zomp10: “Admittedly, I was very skeptical of the Di Francesco hire. However, EDF has won me over and I’ve been impressed with his work thus far. Roma now play a more compact style with less long balls, and pressing is done in spurts rather than the entire match. As a result, the players seem to have more stamina to close out games. EDF also seems to get the best from his players without being confrontational. The environment appears more serene which is ideal for the players and club. Finally, given a deeper roster, EDF has utilised squad rotation perfectly. Every player feels important and gets an opportunity to contribute.”

Giuseppe / @TheZompster: “Mister Di Francesco has made this Roma team believe in one another, and brought along young players to collaborate with the veterans to express his style of calcio – all of which has been promising thus far.”

The Serie A Question: What impact will Napoli’s elimination from the Champions League have on their season?

@alcrissam: “The biggest impact will be financially. Money talks in calcio, and Roma can use every dollar they get. As for Napoli, they had expectations to be competitive in both competitions. They need to hope this setback does not mentally affect their domestic aspirations as well.”

@Zomp10: “There will be a double impact for Napoli – both positive and negative. Of course, without Champions League, Napoli can focus on their primary goal of the Scudetto, and use reserves for the Europa League. Sarri has used little squad rotation in Serie A and Champions League, unlike Di Francesco, and perhaps Napoli has suffered a bit as a result. However, the lack of Champions League advancement hurts Napoli’s revenue earnings, which may result in little market activity in January."

@TheZompster: “Napoli being eliminated from competition has a huge impact on their title run for the Scudetto. While Roma and Juve are still in Champions League, Napoli can choose to focus on Serie A, and have the luxury to rest players more.”

The General Football Question: Following Roma’s new stadium approval, what do you think is the best club stadium in the world right now and why?

@alcrissam: “When you think of stadiums around the world, the obvious one that comes to mind is Barcelona’s Camp Nou. The history, the fans and the capacity are all overwhelming for anyone who plays there. Signal Iduna Park (Borussia Dortmund) in Germany, Anfield (Liverpool) in England, and La Bombanera (Boca Juniors) in Argentina get honorable mentions because the fans create an unbelievable atmosphere.”

@Zomp10: “I have no doubt when Stadio della Roma is finally built, it will be the most beautiful stadium in the world! The drawings and plans for the stadium are simply magnificent. That being said, at this moment in time, I think Barcelona’s Camp Nou is the best in the world. It is simply a classic, historic, and intimidating with a capacity of over 99,000 people. It is remarkable considering how old the stadium is!”

@TheZompster: “I believe Stadio della Roma is going to be like Heaven, something magical but difficult to describe. But until then, I will choose the Santiago Bernabeu simply because it’s a great environment – fans are passionate and the stadium gives you the kind of chills telling you that you are about to watch greatness.”