Spalletti: No pressure on Napoli ahead of Milan second leg
Napoli head into the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals with Milan facing 'no risk', says head coach Luciano Spalletti.
Alongside their dominance in Serie A this season which sees them close to a first league title since the 1989-90 campaign, Napoli have also reached the last eight of Europe's top club competition for the first time. time.
But an Ismael Bennacer goal meant Spalletti's side slipped to a 1-0 defeat in last week's first leg at the San Siro, while midfielder Frank Zambo Anguissa also saw red to leave the Partenopei without one of their key men as they seek to overturn a one-goal deficit at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday.
Spalletti, however, believes Napoli should approach the game with optimism and not under pressure, telling reporters in his pre-match press conference: "Being in the Champions League at this stage is already something great. important.
"We want to move on, we want to win, so we'll play to win. Then we'll see where we end up.
"We think we can do more. There is no risk in tomorrow's game, we risk infinite happiness. If you win, you go even further."
Napoli lost at the San Siro despite having more shots, possession and attempts on target than their opponents, and Spalletti believes his team will have to replicate that performance again at home.
"We have to do as in the first leg, where we came out with a slight disadvantage," said Spalletti. "In general, the performance I expect is from the first leg.
“I believe that important situations can only be created if we perform at a high level, if we are intense, if we are good at finding those spaces and getting out of them as quickly as possible. it will be the same tomorrow night because the team deserves to perform well."
Napoli are looking to come from behind against one of the most successful teams in the Champions League, with only Real Madrid (14) winning the competition on more occasions than Milan's seven.
When asked if he thinks there is still a European experience gap between his players and the Rossoneri, Spalletti replied: "We are creating experience for ourselves.
"We have played many games in the Champions League, on grounds where we have shown character and personality, I don't see why it should be any different now.
"But there is always the possibility of overriding any result and I expect the team to be able to do whatever is necessary.
"We have to think about playing the game in a normal way, putting everything we have into it. This level of football and competition is a reward for the players, for what has been done so far, a reward for the city for all the affection they have for these players, and we will have to give it our all."
Napoli head into the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals with Milan facing 'no risk', says head coach Luciano Spalletti.
Alongside their dominance in Serie A this season which sees them close to a first league title since the 1989-90 campaign, Napoli have also reached the last eight of Europe's top club competition for the first time. time.
But an Ismael Bennacer goal meant Spalletti's side slipped to a 1-0 defeat in last week's first leg at the San Siro, while midfielder Frank Zambo Anguissa also saw red to leave the Partenopei without one of their key men as they seek to overturn a one-goal deficit at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday.
Spalletti, however, believes Napoli should approach the game with optimism and not under pressure, telling reporters in his pre-match press conference: "Being in the Champions League at this stage is already something great. important.
"We want to move on, we want to win, so we'll play to win. Then we'll see where we end up.
"We think we can do more. There is no risk in tomorrow's game, we risk infinite happiness. If you win, you go even further."
Napoli lost at the San Siro despite having more shots, possession and attempts on target than their opponents, and Spalletti believes his team will have to replicate that performance again at home.
"We have to do as in the first leg, where we came out with a slight disadvantage," said Spalletti. "In general, the performance I expect is from the first leg.
“I believe that important situations can only be created if we perform at a high level, if we are intense, if we are good at finding those spaces and getting out of them as quickly as possible. it will be the same tomorrow night because the team deserves to perform well."
Napoli are looking to come from behind against one of the most successful teams in the Champions League, with only Real Madrid (14) winning the competition on more occasions than Milan's seven.
When asked if he thinks there is still a European experience gap between his players and the Rossoneri, Spalletti replied: "We are creating experience for ourselves.
"We have played many games in the Champions League, on grounds where we have shown character and personality, I don't see why it should be any different now.
"But there is always the possibility of overriding any result and I expect the team to be able to do whatever is necessary.
"We have to think about playing the game in a normal way, putting everything we have into it. This level of football and competition is a reward for the players, for what has been done so far, a reward for the city for all the affection they have for these players, and we will have to give it our all."
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