Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri has said his team need to collect 12 points to qualify for the Champions League knockout stage ahead of their opening league-phase match against Arsenal.
As reported by İdman.Biz, Allegri acknowledged the strength of the London club but expressed confidence that Napoli can deliver a positive result.
"To guarantee qualification for the next stage, we need to collect 12 points. We understand the opponent we are facing. They recently won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final. Arteta is an excellent coach, but we will try to show our best and achieve a positive result," Allegri was quoted as saying by UEFA's press service.
The Champions League league phase features 36 teams, with each club playing eight matches against different opponents. The top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16, while those finishing ninth to 24th enter the knockout phase play-offs.
Napoli will host Arsenal at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Wednesday, September 9. Kick-off is scheduled for 23:00 Baku time.
Napoli and Arsenal are also opponents of Azerbaijani club Sabah in the Champions League league phase. Sabah will host Napoli in Baku on January 20, 2027, before travelling to London to face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on January 27.
