Europa League, Napoli-Barcelona, ​​Xavi: “Champions match”

by our correspondent Filipp or Maria Ricci

February 23
– MADRID

“I think that tomorrow a small football war will be staged at the Maradona for the possession of the ball”. Xavi’s words perfectly photograph the match between two teams, Napoli and Barça, who want to take the ball and impose their game.

PRESSING NAPLES

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“We will play as if we had won 2-1 or 3-1, we will try to dominate the game and keep the ball, I expect an intense match at a high pace. Napoli will press us high but we will have to try to keep the ball, to play at the I attack with our style to continue the work we are doing in a complicated field and a high level test “.

CHAMPIONS LEVEL

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“Our idea does not change depending on the rival: we try to dominate the games, and tomorrow it will be difficult. I repeat, I expect a battle for who will hold the ball. They have a physically strong team, and we want to play in their half. Let’s see who manages to prevail in a match that for me is Champions level. For us tomorrow is a test to show that we can play at a great level against a strong opponent who is fighting for the Scudetto. ”

IN THE NAME OF DIEGO

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“The fact of taking the field in a stadium dedicated to Maradona offers extra motivation, it is an honor to play here in a facility that bears this name. The years pass but Maradona continues to excite. If Leo Messi had not appeared we would be talking about the best. footballer of all time, and in any case Diego was certainly the greatest of his times, we have a duty to honor his memory with a great performance. ”

BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

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“Going out tomorrow would be a big disappointment for us. We have high expectations placed on this competition, even if it is not the Champions League. We are optimistic, we are growing, we are on the right track and we want to show that we can play in Europe. We want to win and do it with our weapons. We did not succeed in the first leg, tomorrow we will try again “.