Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis insists he is proud of his side in spite of last night's defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

The Partenopei took the lead, but a Steven Gerrard hat-trick ultimately proved their undoing.

"This team made me proud for 70 minutes," De Laurentiis said.

"It was an emotional evening. We played as equals with Liverpool, a glorious club in a stadium that expresses the maximum in civility and football culture.

"This makes us proud.

"The defeat is not a slap for us. We take this European experience as a measure of our growth, as if it were a Masters degree at University.

"Lavezzi was extraordinary. He is in a splendid athletic condition and this is testament to his great desire."

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