Rudi Garcia feels Napoli ‘have to win’ against Union Berlin in Champions League

By Sports Desk October 23, 2023

Boss Rudi Garcia admits Napoli must beat Union Berlin to ensure they maintain a strong position in the Champions League.

Garcia’s men sit second in Group C, three points behind leaders Real Madrid, who won 3-2 in Naples earlier this month.

Napoli opened their campaign with a 2-1 win over Braga in Portugal and now go to Union Berlin on Tuesday.

“We know all about Union Berlin’s recent history, they reached the Champions League after an excellent season last year,” said Garcia.

“They have strong players like (Leonardo) Bonucci and (Lucas) Tousart. The Champions League is a great competition to play for both players and coaches.

“We started well, but then we didn’t take any points against Real Madrid and we have to win tomorrow.”

The Serie A champions ended a run of successive home defeats by Real in Europe and Fiorentina in the league with a 3-1 win at Verona on Saturday in which Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored twice.

However, they will once again be without star striker Victor Osimhen as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Berlin coach Urs Fischer has told his Champions League debutants to have “fun” as they attempt to end a dreadful run of eight successive defeats in all competitions.

Fischer told a press conference: “We have a difficult opponent ahead of us, the Italian champions, but we must remain optimistic and remember that football is fun.

“We will face Napoli in the right manner to try to take away points.”

That is something the Germans, who finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season, have failed to do in either of their games to date after losing 1-0 at Bernabeu Stadium courtesy of Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time strike before going down 3-2 to Braga at the Olympiastadion in a game in which they had led 2-0.

They have suffered on the domestic front too after going into the international break on the back of a 4-2 defeat at Borussia Dortmund and emerging from it to lose 3-0 at home to Stuttgart on Saturday.

However, midfielder Rani Khedira, who made his first league start of the season at the weekend after injury, insisted he and his team-mates had to remain optimistic.

Khedira said: “The key is to continue to have confidence and optimism. Tomorrow we will have to play with humility, and it will not be easy, but we must not get down about it and we must try to win.”

Germany international Robin Gosens is a doubt for the game, while much-decorated Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci will hope for a return after failing to make it off the bench at the weekend.

Related items

  • Shaw reveals how advice from former Man City stalwarts Bronze, Sterling assisted her to settle at the club Shaw reveals how advice from former Man City stalwarts Bronze, Sterling assisted her to settle at the club

    After struggling to find her footing when she just arrived at Manchester City, Jamaica international Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw, revealed that it was the advice of Lucy Bronze and Raheem Sterling, coupled with hard work, that assisted in her now being the club's record goalscorer.

    Since her transfer from Bordeaux in 2021, Shaw has cemented her status as one of the game’s most clinical strikers during her spell with Gareth Taylor's side so far. In the process, she smashed a number of records, including most goals scored by a Manchester City women’s player in a single season -31 in the 2022-23 campaign -before becoming the club's all-time leading goalscorer with 72 goals overall.

    However, she wasn't always confident that she would have accomplished those feats, as she pointed out how guidance from former Manchester City pair Bronze and Sterling put her on the path to history in sky blue, after a difficult early period at the Joie Stadium.

    “When I came here initially, I was struggling a bit,” Shaw revealed on The Women's Game Podcast with Sam Mewis.

    “One day I was coming in from training and Lucy [Bronze] was coming in as well and she asked, ‘are you okay?’ and I said ‘I just can’t get the way they play, I can’t get it right’. City play a specific type of way and I was saying when we were walking in from training ‘I cannot get this right’. I didn’t know if here was for me.

    “She started laughing and she was like ‘you focus on what got you here, the bits you do well that got you here, there’s something they saw in you that got you here’. At that moment I was like ‘wow’. I then called Raheem [Sterling] and I said the same thing to him. He was just laughing and said, ‘when I came from Liverpool I struggled a bit, they play a certain way so trust the process, believe in what you’re doing and believe in yourself’," she added.

    From there, the 26-year-old Shaw said she continued to put in the work, both on and off the field until her performances came together.

    “I put the comments from both Lucy and Raheem together and it made sense. I told myself to continue working and watching the videos, see how I could improve my game and seeing how best I can help the team. By doing that, it helped a little better day-by-day. Couple of weeks later I called Raheem and said, ‘it’s working!’ He was laughing and said, ‘I told you, you’ve just got to believe in yourself and do all the right things and focus on you first and foremost before you can focus on anything else’," Shaw shared.

    Although her 2023/24 campaign was cut short due to a broken foot, Shaw will finish the campaign with 22 goals and five assists. And she credits her sparkling City success to her dedication on the City Football Academy training pitch.

    “I just kept at it and believing in myself. The confidence comes from scoring goals and as the games come, I’m thriving," she ended.

  • Girona 4-2 Barcelona: Hosts secure Champions League football while ending Blaugrana's title hopes Girona 4-2 Barcelona: Hosts secure Champions League football while ending Blaugrana's title hopes

    Girona beat Barcelona 4-2 to secure Champions League qualification and gift Real Madrid their 36th LaLiga title.

    Madrid, who have lost only once in the league this season, hold a 13-point advantage over second-placed Girona, while Barca dropped to third after Saturday's loss.

    The victory saw Girona seal European football for the first time in their history.

    A brace from substitute Portu helped LaLiga's surprise package Girona to humble their Catalan rivals.

    Andreas Christiansen scored in the third minute to give Barca the lead but Girona hit back a minute later, with LaLiga's top scorer Artem Dovbyk heading in the equaliser.

    Robert Lewandowski put the visitors back ahead from the penalty spot just before the break.

    However, in his first action after coming off the bench, Portu restored parity before Miguel Gutierrez scored from a rebound two minutes later to turn the match on its head.

    And that paved the way for a stunning volley from Portu in the 74th minute to secure the win.

  • Real Madrid's LaLiga joy must be 'contained' ahead of Bayern meeting Real Madrid's LaLiga joy must be 'contained' ahead of Bayern meeting

    Carlo Ancelotti knows Real Madrid's LaLiga title celebrations must be "contained" as they prepare to take on Bayern Munich.

    Madrid were crowned LaLiga champions for a record-extending 36th time on Saturday, after Barcelona lost 4-2 to Girona.

    The Blaugrana's defeat followed on from Madrid beating Cadiz 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

    Brahim Diaz, Jude Bellingham and Joselu were on target for Los Blancos, whose coach Ancelotti knows restraint is needed in his team's celebrations, with the Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern coming up on Wednesday.

    "It's obviously a contained joy, because the most important game of the season is also very close, but we have to be happy," Ancelotti told Movistar Plus+ before the Barca game had been played.

    "These games are difficult to prepare for, because you have Wednesday on your mind. But so far it's been spectacular, our team was steady, with hardly any mistakes. The advantage we have is well deserved.

    "A big part [of Madrid's success] was achieved when we started to defend better, with a collective commitment.

    "The effort put by the players up front was great, but the injuries early in the season helped us to realise that it wasn't about individuals but putting on a collective effort, and we did great."

    Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone, Ancelotti said: "We are very good. It is the seventh victory in a row in the League, a spectacular one as a whole.

    "We are very close to winning it and I think we are going to do it with merit.

    "It is a celebration taking into account what has to happen on Wednesday. We are all happy with the match, but let's think about Bayern."

    Thibaut Courtois, meanwhile, returned from his long injury lay-off to feature for the first time this season.

    Ancelotti added: "Thibaut is a very important piece for this team, although [Andriy] Lunin has had a spectacular season and that is a lot of credit to Andriy. But Courtois has returned very well and was decisive. He is doing very well."

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.