As Napoli get set for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie against Milan on Wednesday, Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo shared his optimism about what the Azzurri could achieve. “Tomorrow’s game will be a different story to what happened in the league. We’re ready to give everything and enjoy this high-level match with the right attitude.
“There’s been almost too much talk of the league match. We assessed what happened with the coach and now we’re thinking about tomorrow’s game.
“We did well against Lecce. It was a big win in terms of pursuit of the title and we’re now looking ahead with confidence.
“We know that we have to face a great side. At this point in the Champions League, it’s top-level football and we’re ready for the challenge. We did well in training and want to give everything.”
On your side of the pitch, you’ll be faced with the likes of Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao. They were some of the shining lights at the Maradona.
“Both of them are certainly stars but Milan have also got other quality players. They’re opponents that we know well and have a huge amount of respect for.
“We didn’t play at our usual level against them in the league, and that’s also down to them. Tomorrow will be a different game and we want to be at our best out there.”
What will it be like without Victor Osimhen?
“Victor is a great striker and we’re disappointed he won’t be playing. However, we don’t rely on just one player. The team have shown how they always rise to the occasion and we’ve picked up some great results this season.
“I think we should enjoy these two games, handling the pressure but also playing freely with enthusiasm and a proactive approach. We’re sure that we can put in two great performances in both legs.”
