Rudi Garcia reveals the SC Braga own goal was something Napoli had worked on in training, but once again they made the mistake of ‘not killing off the game.’
The Partenopei had dominated the first half, forcing several big saves and rattling the frame of the goal before Giovanni Di Lorenzo opened the scoring on the volley.
It had seemed a foregone conclusion until Bruma’s glancing header to equalise, but Piotr Zielinski saw his effort accidentally deflected into the net by Braga defender Sikou Niakate.
They rode their luck at the end too, Pizzi hitting the upright with the last kick of the game.
“It is always difficult to win a Champions League fixture away from home. We scored a goal and a half, because the second was their goal into their own net, but we are still working on those taut crosses because anything can happen,” Garcia told Sky Sport Italia and Mediaset Infinity.
“The mentality and spirit of the team was good, but unfortunately we were not able to kill the game off when we had many chances to score that second goal. It would’ve taken the pressure and tension off, not to mention give us a buffer from the opponents. We are happy with the result, though.”
It was pointed out to him that Garcia let out a big sigh of relief after Di Lorenzo found the back of the net. Does that mean he feels the pressure of being the Napoli coach?
“No, that is totally wrong. When you have so many chances and don’t score, it is natural when you do find the net that you breathe a sigh of relief. Do not invent things that are not in my mind.”
Kvicha Kvaratskhelia was substituted after 66 minutes and again seemed far from the emphatic talent seen in his debut season at Napoli.
“He needs to play, to get that tempo back and it was important in a game like this that he participated in the first goal with the cross that sparked the move. Victor Osimhen fought hard and ran, it’s what I expect from all my players, that when it comes time to defend, they all help out.”
Yet again there were reports that Natan would get his debut from the start, only for the summer signing to be left on the bench, even after Amir Rrahmani limped off with a muscular problem in the opening minutes.
The Brazilian did eventually get his first appearance in the Napoli jersey during the final moments.
Real Madrid also scraped a last-gasp 1-0 win over Leonardo Bonucci’s Union Berlin, so they are joint top of the group with Napoli.