“I absolutely did not want Bayern or City”, Luciano Spalletti

Credit: Photo by Icon sport

An audio showing Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti assessing his team’s potential opponents in the Champions League has been widely circulated online in the days following Friday morning’s quarterfinal draw.

“I absolutely did not want Bayern or City. Of course, in the end with both of them, I breathed a sigh of relief when we drew AC Milan because it didn’t go very well. Stop with the suggestions that the game is already won,” said the 64-year-old tactician. The all-Italian quarterfinal guarantees that there will be at least one Italian representative in the semifinals of Europe’s most prestigious competition, with the added attraction of a potential semifinal against Inter if they beat Benfica in their round of 16 game. The first leg of the AC Milan-Napoli clash is scheduled for April 12 at the San Siro, with the return match the following week on April 18 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.