Ranieri insists a clash with Serie A's leaders is just what he wanted after returning to Roma for a third time as coach.
What team do you expect on Sunday?
"Conte's Napoli are in vogue and are doing well. It will be a beautiful and difficult match. For us and for them."
Do you think the team has the mentality and the qualities to win?
"It's hard for me to say if this team has the mentality or not. I think that when you lose you enter a negative spiral. They must have faith in themselves and their teammates. Get results in a row. There is quality. The team is good. They must be supported by me and by everyone behind them. The fans are the first thing. The soul of the team. The coach can be good or not. We must drag them along with us with excellent performances. Football is simple."
Do you think Paulo Dybala's problem is mental?
"We definitely need to help the boy. If everything shows that there is nothing wrong, we need to understand why there is pain. I spoke to him in recent days and he is proactive. I am one of those who does not want to risk losing a player. We have three games in a row, I want to understand what he can give me."
Does your 'Harry Potter' persona appeal to you? Does it put pressure on you?
"I thank the fans for their trust, for their displays of affection. I thank them. I've always had pressure. Otherwise I wouldn't have chosen to come back. The team needs everyone. It has to get back to doing what it has to do. Winning. You don't need a wizard."
Artem Dovbyk and Lorenzo Pellegrini. How are they? What kind of striker can the Ukrainian be?
"Dovbyk is fine. Pellegrini and the boos? He must know how to react. He is a bit of an introvert for a Roman. He suffers inside but must know how to react to adversity. I am sure he will react."
How did you find the locker room?
"If Juric found it sad, imagine me. That's why I spoke to the players about the child inside them. I reminded them of how we all were. I want them to bring out the dream they had as children. They pay us for this. Ours is a beautiful profession. They have fallen low, but only those who fall can get up again."
Angelino promised us no more central defender. Instead, Cristante among the 3 behind?
"Cristante among the three? Yes it can be done, he can play. But if Hummels is there why should Cristante play? Many times the coach makes moves that seem strange but he is with the players every day so he knows. And it's not that I say one thing and then I contradict myself for a reason x. I follow the team and I know who can give me what. Do you think there are still fixed formations? 433 or 343 and so on? Nowadays all the teams change on the fly."