Benítez: "Crucial for the squad, club and the city"

The Spaniard speaks of their historic game in Kiev against Dnipro

14/05/2015sscnapoli.it/rafabenitez.com

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Rafa Benítez, SSC Napoli head coach is aware of the importance of their game tomorrow against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the second leg of the Europa League semifinals. He knows of his rival´s potential and their options at home in Kiev and how the unjust double offside goal in the first leg complicated the tie. With his thoughts only focused on the immediate future, the Spanish coach appeared before the media in the official pre-match press conference prior to their training session this evening in the Olympiyskiy stadium in Kiev. He showed absolute confidence in his players´ quality and their possibilities recognising that to get through to the final in Varsovia he will need a maximum effort from his players. He stated: "after 26 years, this group of players have the chance to play a UEFA Europa League final, we have an absolutely historical moment within reach, and we are one hundred percent focused on what may happen on the pitch. We want to aspire to win a ticket to the final and we are working on this, although in the end football will decide, just like it did in the first leg in unfavourable circumstances for us".

"It is a very important game, crucial I would say, for everyone. For us, the squad, the club and the great fans and the entire city of Napoli", declared the 'azzurro' coach who then recognised that: "we know it will be complicated, at this stage of the competition there are no easy rivals. It will be hard not only because of our adversary but also the atmosphere. I think Dnipro will play with the same tactical idea as they did in the first leg. They are a team that closes very well at the back and then makes the most of set plays. On our part, we have to play in the same way we have played on other important occasions. I repeat, we are going to give our maximum on the pitch, I am convinced of this so I am calm and have absolute confidence in the possibilities of this team".

When asked if his experience at an international level will be decisive in achieving a victory tomorrow, the head coach of the Neapolitan team replied: "Let´s see, experience always helps, it can be important. But not only mine but also the experience of some our players who have been in similar situations. Also, we are a team that has been playing in Europe for years, so we know what we have to play for and we all know what we can contribute on the pitch. It is not a question of one or the other the key is the group as a whole".

Concerning the resounding double offside goal that drew the game against Dnipro in the first leg at the San Paolo, the Spanish coach did not want to add to the polemic and declared: "I think we have all been able to see what happened over and over. It is very clear to everyone. Such a clear error can only happen once so concerning the game tomorrow we are calm. We have complete confidence in the referee and we are only thinking about playing at our level and qualifying, nothing more".

SSC Napoli is one of the teams that have scored the most goals in this competition, but they are also one of the teams with most goals conceded. Concerning his players' work on the pitch, Benítez spoke of their quality and highlighted: "I believe that when you take 26 shots at goal, in the end it is normal to get a goal and also a victory. In the first leg we had up to five or six clear chances at goal, so if this time we can finish our chances and score it will be without a doubt, decisive for a victory".

To finish, the head coach of SSC Napoli commented on the incident at the Tardini stadium in Parma last weekend where the Spanish coach has received a provisional suspension, the first of his sporting career. He explained: "I am very surprised with everything that has happened and that someone heard something I may have loosely said in private, and yet, they did not hear the continuous insulting songs that could have encouraged violence against the Neapolitans at the Tardini stadium. It is very surprising and difficult to believe. But as I have said already I want to remain focused only on the game tomorrow and I don’t want to dedicate a single minute to this subject".