MY ACCOUNT
Napoli can “dream big” as the best team in Europe, according to Champions League legend Alessandro Costacurta.
The Partenopei are preparing to face Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
That is a stage Napoli have never been beyond, but rarely have they looked more capable than this season.
Luciano Spalletti has led his side 15 points clear at the top of Serie A, while they topped their Champions League group in stunning fashion.
Napoli won five of their six European matches before the World Cup break, thrashing Liverpool 4-1 and Ajax 6-1 along the way.
The competition will ramp up now, but Costacurta, who was a five-time European champion with Milan, does not see any team better than Napoli.
“I don’t want this to pass as nonsense, but in terms of approach and attitude, Napoli are the strongest in Europe,” he told Il Mattino.
“Obviously there are the others, and we know perfectly well that a competition like the Champions League is capable of drawing out of the players those motivations that maybe don’t exist in the league. But I’m sure about one thing.
“At the moment, Napoli are stronger than Manchester City and all the others.”
Costacurta added: “The strongest teams in Europe have not yet given great shows of strength in their leagues.
“That’s why I’m convinced that right now Napoli have an attitude that legitimately allows them to be able to dream big.”
Napoli have been inspired by their exciting attacking duo of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen.
Costacurta compared the signing of Kvaratskhelia, who arrived from Dinamo Batumi in his native Georgia, as “like when they discovered the 6kg truffle”.
“He’s an incredible player and I don’t know where he came from,” the former defender said. “Where the hell was he up until six months ago?”
Napoli’s dominance in Italy has been aided by difficult seasons for many of their rivals, but Costacurta suggested Inter’s Serie A form showed they are “distracted” by the Champions League.
“For Napoli, I dream of a spectacular final with PSG, because in this way you enter a different dimension of history,” he said.
“But I admit that I would also like a good all-Italian final also, because if we want to be honest, I’m the only one who played a semi-final and a final against another Italian team in the Champions League.”
