Renowned former Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta acknowledges an improvement in Napoli’s performance since their last encounter in the Champions League back in February. He expresses difficulty in determining a clear favorite as both teams prepare for the round of 16 second leg scheduled for Tuesday evening.
In an extensive interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 2010 World Cup winner shared his insights ahead of the crucial Champions League match between Barcelona and Napoli on Tuesday night.
Napoli enters Catalonia with the aggregate scores tied at 1-1 from their previous encounter at the Stadio Maradona three weeks ago. The first leg against Barcelona marked coach Francesco Calzona’s debut after assuming the position from former manager Walter Mazzarri.
Iniesta conveyed, “Napoli is an opponent I have not encountered in an official match before. It will be a challenging and unpredictable encounter, making it difficult to designate a clear favorite.”
Reflecting on the first leg, Iniesta noted Barcelona’s commendable performance but emphasized their failure to secure a victory. He acknowledged Napoli’s progress over the intervening weeks, attributing it to the change in coaching staff. Additionally, he highlighted the absence of key players such as Pedri and De Jong from Barcelona’s lineup, adding to the complexity of the matchup.
Regarding the venue for the second leg, Iniesta underscored the significance of Barcelona playing at home, albeit at Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic rather than the traditional Camp Nou. He suggested that Barcelona may face challenges playing at their temporary home, expressing his hope for an atmosphere reminiscent of Camp Nou to bolster their performance against Napoli.