Liverpool vs Napoli: Carlo Ancelotti promises his side will attack despite not needing to win at Anfield

Napoli can qualify for the knockout stages with a draw at Anfield

Mark Critchley
Northern Football Correspondent
Monday 10 December 2018 15:53 EST
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Carlo Ancelotti has promised that his Napoli side will attack Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday night, despite not requiring victory to qualify for the Champions League knock-out stages at the expense of their opponents.

Napoli will arrive at Anfield unbeaten as Group C's leaders, having taken nine points from two wins and three draws, though they are not yet guaranteed a place in the last-16.

A draw will be enough to see Ancelotti's side through, while third-placed Liverpool must beat their visitors 1-0 or by at least a two-goal margin in order to be sure of progression.

Even so, Ancelotti is not planning to settle for a point and promised more the same aggressive counter-attacking which undid Liverpool during their 1-0 defeat in Naples in October.

"We know how they play particularly when they play at home, with intensity, but I know what we will do," the former Chelsea manager said.

"We will try to maintain a high level of intensity for as long as possible. We haven't come to sit back. We've come here to play our own game, which is what we've always done.

"Sometimes we've won, sometimes we've lost, sometimes we've drawn but the fact of the matter is that there are two important phases in football - attack and defence. We need to get both of them right."

Liverpool are unbeaten at Anfield in European competition since October 2014, when Ancelotti's Real Madrid - then Champions League holders - comfortably won 3-0.

The Italian is familiar with the intimidating atmosphere that visiting teams often walk into when playing at Anfield under the lights, though he sees it as an opportunity for his players, rather than something to fear.

"Anfield is a beautiful stadium. The atmosphere is the best in the world. The people are really passionate," he said.

Lorenzo Insigne scored the winner in added time against Liverpool
Lorenzo Insigne scored the winner in added time against Liverpool (Reuters)

"For everyone, but also for the players it's really nice to be here and play this kind of game. I hope that my players are positive. Everyone wants to play in one of the best stadium atmospheres in the world.

"It is true that there are a lot of Liverpool supporters, but there are 3,000 Napoli supporters, and also 40 million around the world that support us. We have to also consider this."

Napoli dominated Liverpool in Naples two months ago and deservedly found a late winning goal through Lorenzo Insigne which has changed the complexion of this tightly-contested group.

Though Ancelotti said his players had taken many lessons from their first meeting with last year's Champions League runners-up, he insisted that Napoli would not take Liverpool lightly.

"We know exactly what is at stake," he said. "This is the very last game in a group that has been tough and competitive. We have played very well, we have shown character, personality and a lot of belief.

"We have learned from the first game but we know that tomorrow is going to be another game and we will go out there and start again."

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