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Manchester City's David Silva
David Silva says Manchester City are ‘playing beautiful football, scoring so many goals and creating a lot of chances.’ Photograph: Cesare Abbate/EPA
David Silva says Manchester City are ‘playing beautiful football, scoring so many goals and creating a lot of chances.’ Photograph: Cesare Abbate/EPA

Silva revels in Manchester City’s Barça comparisons as Napoli expect ‘the best’

This article is more than 6 years old
Spaniard feels City are playing best football since he arrived in England
Maurizio Sarri: we should ask Uefa if they can come on after 21 minutes

The last time Manchester City visited the Stadio San Paolo, back in November 2011, Mario Balotelli had a full-blown tantrum on the plane because he was prevented from speaking at the pre-match press conference, and a chastening defeat 24 hours later ended with Aurelio De Laurentiis, Napoli’s outspoken president, revelling in the occasion by suggesting that Sheikh Mansour “could easily draw the curtains if they don’t win something quickly, go somewhere else and buy another toy”.

That was in the days when City were still coming to terms with their owner’s vast wealth and their first experience of Champions League football, which provides a neat reference point for their latest trip to southern Italy, where Pep Guardiola and his players go in search of the victory or draw – the Spaniard was dismissive of the idea that he would ever contemplate playing for the latter – that would secure qualification for the last 16 with two matches to spare.

Everything feels so much more serene at City now compared to that debut campaign six years ago and it would be a major statement of intent if the team that is blazing a trail at the top of the Premier League, averaging three goals per game in all competitions since the start of the season and sitting on maximum points in Group F, breezed into the knockout stage of Europe’s premier club competition by becoming the first English side to win in Naples.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have all tried and failed over the last seven years, as well as Roberto Mancini’s City team, and this is arguably the toughest assignment for anyone yet given the way that Napoli are playing under Maurizio Sarri this season. “We have a big, big challenge,” Guardiola said. “There will be moments to defend, moments when we are going to suffer like never before, and I’m going to see how we react. That’s why it’s a good challenge for us.”

With 10 victories and a draw from their opening 11 league matches, Diego Maradona’s old club are enjoying the view from the top of Serie A, two points clear of Internazionale and dreaming of a first Scudetto since the Argentinian No10 inspired them to success back in 1990. They are a terrific side to watch and Guardiola has been glowing in his praise, describing Napoli as “one of the best teams I have faced in professional football” after City won 2-1 at the Etihad a fortnight ago.

Napoli conceded twice early on in that game and Sarri joked before Wednesday night’s fixture that his players may need outside help to prevent a repeat. “In the first match they were devastating in the first 20 minutes. We should ask Uefa if they can come on to the pitch after 21 minutes,” the Italian said. “Are they unbeatable? No, because no one is. But they’re the best team in Europe, trained by the best coach in Europe.”

David Silva, who is one of four survivors from the last City team that played here, seemed in agreement with Sarri. The Spaniard, described by Guardiola on the eve of this game as a “master at keeping the ball”, was asked whether City are playing the best football since he arrived in England and whether it was close to the level Barcelona were at in 2009. “Yes, I think so,” said Silva, who expressed a desire to extend his contract to 2020, to complete 10 years’ service at the club. “We are playing beautiful football, scoring so many goals and creating a lot of chances.”

City, however, will have a cauldron of noise to contend with in Naples as well as a formidable team. The ageing Stadio San Paolo is an intimidating venue – Napoli have lost only two of their last 23 European home matches (the most recent was against Real Madrid, the European champions, in March) – and everything points to this being a test of City’s fortitude and character as much as their footballing ability. “I would like to see some fear on their faces,” Sarri said.

The fact that Napoli desperately need a victory to revive their own hopes of reaching the knockout stage – Sarri’s side are third in Group F, with only three points on the board following away defeats against Shakhtar Donetsk and City – adds to the sense of excitement around what promises to be a fascinating game. Napoli simply have to attack.

As for City, Guardiola’s team know only one way to play and the 46-year-old made it clear after Napoli’s visit to the Etihad that he would not deviate from the pass-it-out-from-the-back approach that so nearly cost them a goal against a side that press high up the pitch. “They deserve great credit for what they did in the first match,” Sarri said. “No one has escaped our pressing like that.”

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