Coppa Italia champions SSC Napoli can beat Barcelona over two legs in the Champions League Round of 16 only if they can ‘climb Mountain Everest’, head coach Gennaro Gattuso has so rated their Saturday’s return game in Camp Nou.
The first leg in February ended 1-1 in Naples , and Gattusu knows his team is facing and uphill task in Camp Nou, especially with Barca already on an away goal advantage.
Gattuso says Napoli Will not be cowed by the suggestions that Quique Setien’s Barca have been poor this season.
“They are used to winning and I know that when you get used to winning you always want to do it. Tomorrow we have to climb Everest,” Gattuso told reporters during his Friday’s pre-match news conference.
“In recent months I have heard many jokes, like ‘Barcelona are not in shape, but if you go and watch them there are some players who
put on a show.
Also Read – Napoli: Things You Need To Know About Osimhen’s New Home
Hé added: “We know it will be a very difficult match for us. We know what kind of team awaits us and we know we will have to make a great performance, both technically and tactically, and maybe that won’t even be enough.
“We know we’re facing great champions. You need a great game to come out with a good result.”
Asked About his captain, Lorenzo Insigne’s injury situation, Gattuso said: “Yesterday he trained at 50 per cent. Today he was at 100 per cent with the team.
“I want to know he feels 100 per cent tomorrow. If he is not, he will not be on the pitch from the first minute. If he is at 100 per cent
he will play and help us make a great game.”
Insigne sustained a groin injury during Napoli’s last match of the Serie A season against Lazio and was substituted late the game.
1 Comment
If coach Rohr make this kind of statement some people will come here to insult him and tell us how he is a bad coach how he is afraid