Napoli star Amin Younes has revealed his admiration for Serie A rivals Juventus, stating that while they might not always be easy on the eye there is no arguing with their results.
The Old Lady are on the way to a record eighth consecutive Scudetto this season having lost one league match in 31 outings so far.
A win on Saturday away to SPAL would wrap up the title, while they could still celebrate this weekend whatever their result should nearest challengers Napoli fail to beat Chievo on Sunday.
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Carlo Ancelotti's side have been Juve's nearest rivals in the title race this season but once more have found their rivals' consistency and ability to grind out wins impossible to match over the course of the campaign.
Younes was left to rue dropped points from his team along the way, while admitting that he has great respect for Juve's tenacity and quality across the pitch.
“Results like the draws against Chievo or Sassuolo were completely unnecessary. Juventus might have been a bit more clever than us this season," the Germany international told Goal and Spox .
"Their football is not beautiful but effective. With players like Cristiano [Ronaldo], [Giorgio] Chiellini or [Mario] Mandzukic they have a lot of experience and also a huge mental strength.”
Napoli last lifted the Scudetto in 1990, with the great Diego Maradona pulling the strings in one of the best sides in the club's history.
Recent seasons have seen the southern Italians return to Serie A's top table though, and Younes believes everyone connected with the club is desperate to go a step further and end Juve's domestic dominance.
“It is huge. The entire city is craving the title. The thing is that everybody knows that it is not too far away right now, they know that we are totally capable of winning it," he added.
"For sure not this season, but one day we will. To be honest: Our players do not want to win it for themselves, they want to win it for these passionate people here. I don’t want to leave before winning the Scudetto with this team.”
With the 2018-19 Serie A crown almost out of reach, attentions have turned to the Europa League as Napoli's best chance of silverware in 2018-19.
Unai Emery's Arsenal stand in their way in the quarter-finals, with the first leg kicking off at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday.
“Arsenal are a great team and in great shape. But we do not have to hide from anyone," he said.
"We will not lack motivation. I have been with Ajax in the final of the Europa League and I really want to play the final again.”