Daniele Bonera realises importance of home leg for Villarreal against Napoli

17 February 2016 21:23

Villarreal defender Daniele Bonera feels his side must make the most of home advantage when they take on Napoli in the first leg of the Europa League last-32 clash at El Madrigal on Thursday.

Italian defender Bonera is well aware how difficult it is to win in Naples after playing many times there in Serie A for Parma and AC Milan.

He said on the Villarreal website: "San Paolo is a very difficult stadium to play at. People live all week for the match at the weekend. We will have to have a good game in the first leg because it will be really tough when we go there.

"In Italy they really respect Villarreal and we also respect Napoli, but we're not scared of them. They know they're going to have a really tough match against us."

The draw was unfortunate for both teams, pitting the Primera Division's fourth-placed team against the side second in Serie A.

Napoli's group campaign was exemplary and they go into the knockout stage as the competition's leading scorers.

Bonera praised the job done by coach Maurizio Sarri, saying: " At the moment they are second in a league that is not easy by any means.

"It's a surprise, but their manager's work is proving to be very important. He is a great manager that has already showed his worth at Empoli."

Napoli will hope to put the disappointment of losing top spot in Serie A to Juventus at the weekend behind them with victory in Spain.

Captain Marek Hamsik told the club website: "We know that they are difficult opponents. They are among one of the best teams in Spain.

"The fact that they are in fourth position in the Spanish league, chasing giants like Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, shows that this will be a tough task.

"We want to achieve a result that will take us closer to the next round."

Source: PA