Imanol: “In the dressing room we are all convinced of winning”

“I'm calm, comfortable, looking forward to the game.” Imanol he began his appearance by exposing his feelings for the match against Napoli in Anoeta, “a tremendous challenge.” He describes the Partenopean team as “dangerous”, but he relies on the tremendous dynamics of his team's results to add the second victory in the Europa League group stage: “With humility and respect, the goal is to win”.

The Oriotarra coach is clear that, holding the game constants that have led them to win four games in a row between the League and the Europa League, they can get another joy today: “In the dressing room we are all convinced of winning the game”. For this, he believes that they must develop “our game” and exhibit “our personality”.

Napoli is a candidate to win the scudetto this year, but we are motivated by having such an opponent

He does not hide that Napoli has an “impressive level, offensively and defensively” and highlights his numbers in Serie A, where he has won every game and only lost one, but without playing it, against Juventus. “He is a candidate to win the scudetto this year, but we are motivated by having such an opponent”. The Real coach tells that the rival can handle “several records”, the same as his squad. That is why he analyzes that “they will also be aware of us.”

A “great game of Champions”

It is a Europa League match, the second of the group stage, but for Imanol, “It's a great Champions League game” due to the level and fitness of the two squads. In addition, the motivation of the txuri urdin players is through the roof: “If they have entered Januzaj, Merquelanz Y Barrenetxea it's because everyone wants to play. After a victory, there is no fatigue, especially if you have a Napoli in front of you, ”he says. It is clear that when faced with these types of appointments “you don't have to motivate them.” In any case, the coach clarifies that, once again, “we will miss our people so much”. It reiterates, as in previous quotes, that, despite its absence, “We feel them and we know they are super proud of the team, win or lose”.

I've been a Naples fan; I cheated on my wife and children to go to Italy to see Naples de Sarri

Imanol He took advantage of the appearance to make a confession and tell a personal anecdote: “I have been a Naples fan. Three or four years ago, cheating on my wife and children, we traveled to Italy to see the Napoli de Sarri”. However, he was somewhat frustrated because he did not achieve his goal: “He was playing away from home, it couldn't be, but we could see a Roma-Lazio that wasn't bad either.”

Determinant to pass the round

After their victory in Rijeka on the first day and the defeat of Napoli against Az Alkmaar, a new success txuri urdin would grant them many tickets to advance to the next round: “There is no doubt that it would position us very well and it would be a very important step, but there would be many points”, Launches the realistic trainer.

The coach does not believe, however, that Napoli come with another attitude due to their puncture against AZ. On the contrary, he considers that he will play “with the same ambition and tension, just like us. We are not going to take the game any other way to win in Croatia. It doesn't change anything for them or for us ”.