MANCHESTER: Manchester City might might do well to plan their victory party now after Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis told his team’s manager to rest key players in tonight’s Champions League match at the Etihad Stadium.
De Laurentiis described the match as “impossible” to win and would rather his team focus on Saturday’s top-of-the-table Serie A clash against Inter Milan.
“Those players that have been compiling a lot of minutes should be rested a bit in this match to keep them fresh,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“The match with Inter is just as important.”
City lead Group F with six points, three ahead of Shakhtar Donetsk and Napoli. Feyenoord are last with no points.
Napoli lost their group opener 2-1 to Shakhtar before beating Feyenoord 3-1.
In Serie A Napoli have won eight from eight and are on course for a first title since Diego Maradona led the southern club to their only two league titles in 1987 and 1990.
“In Europe we should worry only about advancing, not winning all of the matches,” De Laurentiis said.
“(Manchester City boss Pep) Guardiola is an old wolf and he knows full well that he’s got a great side,” De Laurentiis said. “It could be an impossible match for us to win.”
Napoli throw in the towel before clash against City
Napoli throw in the towel before clash against City
