Speaking in a press conference ahead of Napoli’s Champions League clash with Braga at Estadio Municipal de Braga, Rudi Garcia has addressed the concerns after a slow start for the Partenopei this season. Despite winning their opening two matches, Napoli have dropped points in their last two matches. They lost 2-1 at home to Lazio before drawing 2-2 with newly-promoted Genoa on Saturday.
Garcia was asked what is wrong with his current side and why things haven’t gone their way thus far. He also responded to questions about club owner and president Aurelio De Laurentiis and what Napoli need to do to improve:
On current issues: “We’re only fifth, we wanted to do better but it’s only the beginning of the season. In the defeat we played very well one half, not the other. In the draw we only did well in the second half. We need to be more consistent, but the championship is the championship and the Champions League is the Champions League. There are only six games, it means that every game counts much more than the championship. We are here to win, we arrive with ambition, determination and confidence.”
On whether he has heard from De Laurentiis: “No more and no less than usual. I heard it on Sunday and also this morning. I am calm and calm. The president? He seems like that too, ask him.”
On what his side needs to do to improve: “We have to be more effective in front of goal. And we have to be able to finish games without conceding a goal. In four games we have conceded five goals, but analyzing the statistics we have conceded eight shots on target. It means that we don’t defend that badly and that when we don’t we’re out of position. We conceded a penalty, two dead balls against Genoa, two counter attacks against Lazio. It’s never the same thing: if we concede little, like at the beginning, we’ll have clean sheets and it will be easier to win games.”
