Lobotka’s passes have been the motor that makes Napoli tick

By ANDREW DAMPF
AP Sports Writer

CASTEL VOLTURNO, Italy (AP) — Dribbling wizard Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and scoring wonder Victor Osimhen have been garnering most of the headlines for Napoli this season. But 5-foot-7 midfielder Stanislav Lobotka has been the motor that makes Napoli tick with his exceptional passing skills and field vision. So what has changed for a player who struggled for playing time under previous Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso? The arrival of coach Luciano Spalletti and improved fitness after two surgeries for tonsillitis. Lobotka says in an Associated Press interview that “the most important (thing) is the confidence that you feel the coach trusts you.” He adds that “when I feel these feelings I can show my quality.”