Former coach Fabio Capello looked ahead to Milan’s top of the table clash with Napoli, noting the ‘physical and emotional impact of the Champions League’.
The Rossoneri fell to Paris Saint-Germain in an incredibly painful 3-0 loss whilst Napoli edged out a tense 1-0 win over Union Berlin, taking victory despite a fairly lackluster performance in Germany.
Domestically, the two teams are in the race for the league title and will both be aiming for victory to keep up the pressure on fellow Scudetto rivals Inter and Juventus.
Speaking in an interview with La Repubblica via TMW, Capello first analysed Milan’s clash with Napoli and the impact of playing in the Champions League in the mid-week.
“The match itself is very balanced. And then we will have to see on the pitch who will have absorbed best the physical and emotional impact of the two Champions League matches.
“Napoli won and are feeling good, Milan lost and cannot afford another knockout. Because when you play in the Champions League you feel it, and indeed you feel it, in your muscles and in your head.
“So, we need to understand who is better off overall after these efforts.”
He then spoke about the Rossoneri’s recent impressive history against Napoli and if that’ll impact the upcoming clash.
“Eh… we can’t forget the last three matches of last season. There Milan demonstrated that they know how to hurt, very badly, the Partenopei. And Napoli struggled against the Rossoneri, a lot.
“Simple: the real anti-Napoli is Leao. He goes well against their backline, especially since, I have to say, from what I’ve seen at the beginning of the season, Napoli’s defense hasn’t convinced me at all.”
In their last three meetings, Milan edged out a tense 2-1 aggregate win over Napoli in the Champions League quarter-finals and a 4-0 win in the Campania capital.