Nicola rejects ‘rescue’ label after Venezia stun Napoli on his debut

Venezia’s new coach wants credit shared with his players

Davide Nicola began his Venezia tenure with a 1-0 victory over Napoli, then pushed back against the idea that he is defined solely by taking charge of teams in trouble.

“I am a little tired of that narrative,” Nicola told DAZN Italia. “I want to give credit to the lads, who gave me a big hand, and it was not easy in the space of just two training sessions.”

Discipline and shape frustrate Napoli

Nicola said Napoli’s quality forced Venezia to remain concentrated and preserve their shape. He also pointed to the work required to switch the team from man-marking to zonal defending at set plays.

“We found a balance that allowed us to be competitive. Napoli actually made it easier for us, because they had so much quality that we had to be totally focused and keep the right shape at all times,” he said.

Venezia claimed the win through Akor Adams, while goalkeeper Filip Stankovic saved a penalty from Kevin De Bruyne. Nicola acknowledged that the result did not tell the whole story of the match: “Considering how much Napoli created, we may well not have won this match.” He said the team’s tactical organisation had nevertheless made them more competitive, while adding that Venezia could have done more on the counter-attack.

Nicola also defended Adams despite mistakes, saying the forward “puts his soul into it” and has “astonishing margin for improvement.”