Former Milan defender Alessandro Costacurta believes Napoli have the right to ‘legitimately dream big’ in the Champions League this season.
The Partenopei are gearing up for their first knockout stage outing, facing Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt in the Round of 16. Luciano Spalletti’s side looked dominant in their group stage, winning five of their six games to finish top above Liverpool, Ajax and Rangers.
Napoli still hold a commanding 15-point lead in Serie A with 15 games to go, leading many fans to hope for more focus on the Champions League.
Speaking to Il Mattino, Costacurta explained why he thinks Napoli have a genuine chance of winning the Champions League this season.
“Right now, Napoli are stronger than Manchester City and all the other teams. The English always fight on two fronts: the Premier League and the Champions League, which can sometimes take something away from them.
“And then it must also be said that the strongest teams in Europe still haven’t shown much strength in their leagues. That’s why I’m convinced that at this moment Napoli have such an attitude that they can legitimately dream big.
“Now, they can overcome them all, but in two months’ time when the players will have woken up from their stupor, I don’t know.”
Although Napoli have looked explosive this season, the Coppa Italia has provided a source of anxiety ahead of their Champions League knockout campaign. In a one-off match, the team fell to Serie A strugglers Cremonese, drawing 2-2 in regular time and losing 7-6 on the resulting penalty shoot-out.