Napoli manager talks Bellingham, Ancelotti, Joselu, Benzema ahead of Real Madrid clash | OneFootball

Real Madrid will face off against Serie A champions Napoli in their second UEFA Champions League Group C encounter away in Italy tomorrow night.

Los Blancos started their European campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Union Berlin while Napoli also began on a winning note, with a 2-1 victory over SC Braga.

Ahead of the big game tomorrow coming from Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Napoli manager Rudi Garcia interacted with the press and answered a lot of questions pertaining to Real Madrid.

“We have a good chance, we are strong in every way. But to win we will need humility and to give 120% of our qualities,” Garcia stated, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

“The match against Real Madrid is something that every coach dreams of. The Champions League is the best club competition. The music on the pitch gives you an important boost and Napoli must play this competition every year,” he added.

On what it means to come up against a team like Real Madrid and a manager of Carlo Ancelotti’s track record, Garcia said:

“Think of Real Madrid, one of the biggest clubs in the world with a unique list of successes. I really appreciate Ancelotti, who I know well. It will be a difficult game, but we have the ambition to go out on the pitch and do everything we can to win.”

The Napoli manager also touched upon the transfer business that Real Madrid did during the summer, claiming that they had done an excellent job of replacing Karim Benzema with the additions of Jude Bellingham and Joselu.

“Real Madrid managed the departure of Benzema well and selected someone like Bellingham, who plays behind the two strikers and is a very good player. But I don’t want to think only about one player, Joselu is also very good,” he remarked.

Discussing what his team must do to get the better of the Merengues tomorrow, Garcia said:

“We’re going to have to use our brains and our heart. The heart will be on the pitch for sure, but we will need brains. There will be moments in the game when we will have to be good at pressing or preventing Real Madrid from imposing their qualities.”

Di Lorenzo ready to face Vinicius Jr

Di Lorenzo wary of Vinicius Jr. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Napoli right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo also spoke to the media and stated that he is aware of the threat that Vinicius Jr will carry, with the pair set to come face-to-face tomorrow.

“We’re talking about a champion who was decisive for Real Madrid from very early on despite his young age,” DI Lorenzo said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

“We will have to pay attention to him but also to the rest, knowing that when we have the ball we will have to impose our game to try to make it difficult for them.”

On the matter of facing a team like Real Madrid, the most successful club in Europe’s biggest competition, Di Lorenzo said:

“It will be a match to play and not to concede. Real Madrid have many champions, the Champions League is their playground, but we are prepared.

“We are playing at home, there will be a full stadium and we will do everything we can to make it difficult for them. I’m sure they also consider us a great team. It will be exciting to go out onto the pitch.”