Napoli head coach Rudi Garcia knows his side cannot afford a slow start if they are to target Champions League success this season.
The Partenopei topped their Champions League group ahead of Liverpool and progressed to the quarter-finals last season, where they were beaten by AC Milan.
Garcia’s side, though, head into their opening European tie away to Portuguese outfit Braga on Wednesday night sitting fifth in the table after a draw at newly promoted Genoa left them with seven points from four games.
“There is something wrong in the league (Serie A) because we are only fifth, but it is the start of the season,” Garcia told a press conference.
“The logical thing would be to say that we need to be more consistent, but we can say that the championship is the championship – and the Champions League is another competition.
“There are only six matches in the group (stage) and so every match counts much more than those of the 38-round championship (Serie A).
“We are here to win and we arrive with determination and confidence.”
Napoli arrived in Portugal much later than planned on Tuesday evening following a significantly delayed departure because of technical problems with their aircraft.
But Garcia will not look for any excuses if his side do not produce the required performance at the Estadio Municipal.
“Braga have quality players, but we want to start this Champions League group off well,” he said.
“We have to be consistent from the first minute and have to put everything on the pitch to win the three points.”
Centre-back Amir Rrahmani has been included in Napoli’s travelling squad after missing Saturday’s Serie A game with a muscle problem picked up while on international duty with Kosovo.
Uruguay defender Mathias Olivera is expected to start after coming off the bench against Genoa while recent signing Bernardo Natan could make his debut, with the Brazilian, fit again following a knee issue, an unused substitute at the weekend.
Braga have returned to the Champions League group stages for the first time in 11 years after coming through two qualifying rounds – and will also face Spanish giants Real Madrid as well as tournament debutants Union Berlin in Group C.
After suffering a 3-1 loss at Farense in the Portuguese Liga, Braga coach Artur Jorge is expecting a response against the Italian champions.
“Our opponent has a lot of individual and collective quality. The widespread opinion is that it will be more difficult for Braga, but we have the will to counter that,” he said.
“We have three very strong teams (in the group) and we will be put to the test with maximum demands.
“But even against a very strong Napoli, but we will have a rigorous and committed approach and I believe we have a chance to compete until the end.”
Jorge told a press conference: “We want to enjoy the match, but highlighting that we are not going to play just for the sake of playing.
“Regardless of the competition, the ambition to win is fundamental – we cannot get tired of winning.
“It should not be as a response to anything, this is the ambition that the players have to express – it is our desire for the mission to be accomplished.”
Napoli 2-1 Parma: Lukaku and Anguissa fire Conte's men to last-gasp win
Romelu Lukaku and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa scored in second-half stoppage time as Napoli fought back for a thrilling 2-1 victory over Parma in Serie A.
Newly promoted Parma, who stunned Milan last week, looked set to claim a second surprise win in as many games when Ange-Yoan Bonny won and converted a 19th-minute penalty.
The momentum of the game changed, however, when Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was shown his second yellow card for a foul on David Neres with 15 minutes of the 90 remaining.
With no further substitutions available to the visitors, defender Enrico Del Prato took over in goal and went close to getting his team over the line with a clean sheet intact.
However, new signing Lukaku came off the bench to equalise for Napoli in the second minute of stoppage time, shortly after the Partenopei had seen a penalty overturned following a VAR review.
There was more drama to come at the death as Anguissa headed home in the sixth minute of stoppage time, though Napoli also had to survive one last scare as Pontus Almqvist was denied by Alex Meret at the other end.
Data Debrief: Flying start for Lukaku
Just as Napoli's hopes seemed to be slipping away, up stepped debutant Lukaku to level with a low strike, setting the stage for the most remarkable of comeback victories.
Across the last five Serie A campaigns, Lukaku has 29 goals in 48 home games for Inter, Roma and Napoli. That is the fewest home games required by any player to net over 25 goals in the competition during that span.
Parma, meanwhile, were left to rue the sending-off of Suzuki, who became their first goalkeeper to see red in Serie A since Antonio Mirante against Sassuolo, back in March 2015.
Lopetegui rues missed opportunity as West Ham lose to Man City
West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui was not encouraged by the performance of his team despite losing 3-1 at home to Manchester City in their third league game.
“It is true that City is one of the best teams around the world for sure… but it is also true too that in the second half we have been very close to a draw,” he said speaking to BBC Match of the Day.
“I think we have played one very good second half. The start has been very good for us too.”
West Ham threatened for extended periods of the match and had chances to level the match at 2-1 down, with the best coming from Mohammed Kudus as he smashed a shot against the bar in the second half.
They also started the game brightly before going a goal down inside 10 minutes.
“In my mind we started very well, being aggressive,” said Lopetegui.
“We know in this plan normally they have initiative, it’s very difficult to not concede initiative then. That’s why you have to do a lot of very good things to overcome them.
“In the second half we had chances, I think we kept the ball much more, much more, and didn't concede a lot of chances."
But the hosts were ultimately undone by the brilliant finishing of Erling Haaland, who scored his second hat-trick in as many matches.
“He is one of the best players in the world, that's why he plays for Manchester City,” he said.
“You have to compete with these kind of players. City has the power and the quality to create chances.”
But ultimately, he was left frustrated at the sense of a missed opportunity and that his team were unable to earn themselves a draw that hadn’t seemed implausible during the match.
“Today I think the first goal was a pity for us but I’ve said it. I was happy with the performance think we were able to draw but again they damage us,” he said.
“Against this kind of team, if you make a mistake they don’t forgive. This is the difference they have… A little mistake they punish you, they punish us.
“We have to improve, to know to compete against this kind of team to be close to perfection.
“Don't make mistakes, be calm, defend well… we have quality players too.”
Bayer Leverkusen 2-3 Leipzig: Visitors fightback halts unbeaten streak for Alonso's side
Bayer Leverkusen suffered their first defeat in 36 Bundesliga matches, as Leipzig came from behind to stun Xabi Alonso's side 3-2 at BayArena.
Lois Openda struck twice for Marco Rose's, who recovered from 2-0 down to make it two wins from two and move to the summit of the table.
It looked like business as usual for the reigning Bundesliga champions when they scored twice in the last seven minutes of the first half through Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo.
However, Leipzig replied deep into first-half stoppage time with Kevin Kampl reducing the deficit.
Openda then brought the visitors level in the 57th minute, before a stunning long-range strike completed the turnaround 10 minutes from time, condemning Leverkusen to their first league defeat in 15 months.
Data Debrief: Leverkusen's long streak comes to a shuddering halt
Leipzig became the first side to beat Leverkusen in a Bundesliga match since Bochum achieved the feat a staggering 462 days earlier.
The visitors have begun a Bundesliga season with two wins from two for only the second time, also doing so in 2019-20.
They are also now unbeaten in 13 league matches, their longest such streak since Rose took charge.
As for Leverkusen, their invincible streak is officially history, as is their 29-game unbeaten run on home soil.
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