Mazzarri ecstatic after 'incredible' Napoli performance
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
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"We did something incredible," declared SSC Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri, while Roberto Mancini was defiant despite Manchester City FC's 2-1 loss leaving them reliant on favours.
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Walter Mazzarri, Napoli coach
Manchester City are a great side and were in fantastic form. It was difficult even to think about a victory against them on the eve of the game. Playing like we did tonight all the time is impossible. In games like tonight's you can find energy that you cannot even think you have. We don't have 22 players on the same level. Manchester City have them and they could rest four or five players and win easily against Newcastle at the weekend.
We did something incredible in both games against them. The draw in England was fantastic with so many players making their Champions League debut but winning when you have only one result in mind, as we did tonight, is incredible. We have to learn to win games even when we don't play very well as only big teams can do. It's not done yet but tonight we must celebrate this great victory.
Roberto Mancini, Manchester City manager
We have another game and we should believe because Villarreal can manage a draw. I don't think they will finish with zero points and we have a chance to win. But we are depending on other results. I don't think we deserved to lose this game but at the same time we came here to score three or four goals but ended up conceding two stupid ones. The first because Cavani gambled at the front post and he was all alone for the second.
We wanted to win because that's our mentality but after losing, everything could be finished. This can happen in football but we have another game – never say never. Cavani is a good player, a good striker who scores goals and works hard for the team – he showed that tonight. After our equaliser we had another two chances and I find it strange we conceded another goal. For us it's the first time in the Champions League but I don't think Villarreal will lose another game - they can win or draw. Why not? We had four or five changes to score. Their keeper was fantastic but when you lose you've made a mistake.