March 16, (THEWILL) – Napoli’s Luciano Spalletti has responded to Pep Guardiola’s recent praise of his team, stating that it was simply a tactic to put pressure on them ahead of the quarter-finals draw.
Spalletti’s team secured their spot in the last eight of the UEFA Champions League after a comfortable 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, with their main striker, Victor Osimhen, scoring a brace. With an 18-point lead at the top of Serie A, Napoli seems well poised for further success this season.
THEWILL recalls that Guardiola had praised Napoli as the best team in Europe following Manchester City’s own quarter-final qualification with a 7-0 win over RB Leipzig.
However, Spalletti dismissed the claim, suggesting that it was a game to build Napoli up, only to knock them down in the future.
Napoli’s quarter-final spot, their first ever in Europe’s elite competition, also marks the first time since the 2005/2006 season that three Italian teams have reached this stage.
Despite Napoli’s historic achievement, Spalletti urged his team to remain focused, stating that it was crucial they maintained the same attitude that led them so far.
The manager acknowledged the significance of the moment for the club and the fans but stressed that they had to stay grounded and avoided complacency if they hoped to achieve even greater success in Europe this season.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
