Maurizio Sarri warns Napoli “represent a city that is worthy of a place in the Champions League and it’s what we want” in the play-off with Nice.
The first leg kicks off at the Stadio San Paolo on Wednesday at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).
“This game is worth the Champions League and that’s it, not the whole season,” assured the Coach in his Press conference.
Maurizio Sarri warns Napoli “represent a city that is worthy of a place in the Champions League and it’s what we want” in the play-off with Nice.
The first leg kicks off at the Stadio San Paolo on Wednesday at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).
“This game is worth the Champions League and that’s it, not the whole season,” assured the Coach in his Press conference.
“We represent a city that is worthy of a place in the Champions League and it’s what we want. There will be repercussions whatever happens and we want to get through at all costs.”
Nice visit Italian soil for the first leg without injured Mario Balotelli or Wesley Sneijder.
“It seems to me that Nice play with a dangerous change of pace and can cause us problems, especially as they have already played some competitive football this season and eliminated Ajax, the Europa League finalists from last term.
“I heard last season people say Juventus had a really tough draw against Lyon, but Nice picked up many more Ligue 1 points than they did, so it’s going to be extremely difficult.
“Balotelli is a big loss for them, but Sneijder hasn’t actually played for Nice yet, so doesn’t really count as an absentee. Without Balotelli, there is Alassane Plea, who has different characteristics and reminds me of Gregoire Defrel. Jean Seri in the middle of the park seems destined to a top club, while Dante played for Bayern Munich.
“We can’t think that we’ll just steamroller them, but we will be competitive both at home and away. The fact is that we do tend to allow something in defence every time, so we must be very careful defensively.”
Sarri joked about his famously complex and beautiful style of football.
“If only we had an extra goal for every 100 passes we make! If it’s as hot as it has been lately tomorrow, then I can’t imagine a particularly high tempo. We can risk at the start, but then from the 60th or 70th onwards be forced to drop intensity. It’s fundamental to be at 100 per cent psychologically first and the physique goes with it.
“Unfortunately, over the summer our friendly performances rather amplified our defects, as at times we dominated and didn’t finish the opposition off, going on to compromise the result against Atletico Madrid and Bournemouth.”