“We played better in the second half. The goal was beautiful, with Kvara’s assist and Raspadori’s excellent movement.”
After the convincing victory against Union Berlin in the Champions League, Rudi Garcia was pleased with the result. “We didn’t suffer much today, but we weren’t too dangerous in the offensive as well,” explained the Napoli coach. “In the first half, we lost the ball a bit too much, but we improved in the second half. The goal was beautiful, with Kvara‘s assist and Raspadori‘s excellent movement.”
“Tonight, we took the field with the right anger, and we won the duels,” he added. “Raspadori’s goal came after Rrahmani and Mario Rui won their duels. We need to fight for every ball and press high to regain possession.”
“It’s never easy to substitute a player at halftime, but it’s our job to make these decisions,” Garcia continued, speaking about his substitutions in the second half. “Cajuste was one of the best in the match against Verona, but tonight he was less brilliant and lost the ball too often. It’s not a problem for the match against Milan on Sunday, he will bounce back. It’s just one game, but I agree that the substitutes made a significant contribution. Without Anguissa, we lacked a physical presence, and today, Ostigard also helped. I’m pleased with the team’s attitude.”
Garcia also made some comments on the defensive phase and the disallowed goal for Union Berlin. “Rrahmani took a step forward to catch the opponent offside. The work we did during the break with Natan paid off. He’s an intelligent guy who quickly understands what we ask from him. I’m happy because he’s gaining confidence and showing that he can perform at a high level.”
“Technically, we need to do better, but today we needed to continue building with short passes and movements,” he emphasized, highlighting the team’s attitude. “The pressing worked well in the second half, and there are many positive aspects. We need to keep playing our game until the final whistle.”
“Now, let’s focus on Milan,” Garcia concluded.
