Rafael Cabral insists that the mood in the Napoli camp is at its best, the players are united and that the Champions League must be forgotten.
Rafael Cabral insists that the mood in the Napoli camp is at its best, the players are united and that the Champions League must be forgotten.
The Vesuviani head into this week’s Europa League group stage opener at home to Sparta Prague very much under scrutiny for their Champions League Play-off round exit and a home reverse at the weekend to Chievo.
However, according to the team’s first-choice ‘keeper, the mood surrounding the team is not the same as the mood in the team.
“Morale is at its highest, we are a great club with great fans,” Rafael has explained in today’s Press conference.
“We have everything in place to be motivated, we are happy and united. We know that the season is long, we have to train and work to get better and better.
“Differences to last year, though? Last year I found everyone well, just as with this year. We are all friends, the dressing room is united.
“The Press is far away and cannot see into the everyday life.
“We have to forget the Champions League, now we must focus on the present and look to the future.
“The Europa League is a great competition, we want to do well in everything. We are thinking about each game as they come, we are all together.
“Where can we improve? I have to improve, like all the rest. I have to be careful and improving my positioning, recovery, everything…I have to train always to my best to improve in general.
“We are training always, especially on dead-ball situations. We want to improve, we need concentration.”
The 24-year-old, who explained the difficulty in transferring decision making in facing aerial balls in training into match-time situations, was asked about the comparisons with last year’s teammate Pepe Reina.
“He is a great goalkeeper, I trained alongside him and learned a lot.
“I have my qualities and I am young, but I have played a lot in Brazil, I have already won seven trophies and I am in the national team.
“Everyone has their own skills, the club has confidence in me and I am happy.”