’10 out of 10 Napoli can reach Champions League semi-finals’

Former Milan and Italy head coach Arrigo Sacchi believes Napoli are capable of reaching the Champions League semi-finals following their blistering start to the season.

Luciano Spalletti’s side have raced to the Serie A summit with 23 points from their opening nine matches, scoring a league-high 22 goals along the way.

The Partenopei have also netted 17 times on the way to qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages with two games to spare for the first time in their history.

Napoli lifted the UEFA Cup in the 1988-89 season and reached the 2014-15 Europa League semi-finals, but are yet to progress beyond the last 16 of Europe’s premier club competition.

However, Sacchi, who won successive European Cups with Milan in 1989 and 1990, is confident Spalletti’s men can advance into unchartered territory this term should their campaign continue in the same fashion.

“Beautiful team; they play modern football, they attack as 11 and defend as 11. Sometimes, it seems like they can be on the pitch with their eyes closed,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“They come together with incredible ease and this is the result of the generosity, cooperation and synergy that exists in the squad. Bravo to Spalletti, because here you can see, and a lot, the hand of the coach.

“If they don’t fall into the success trap – and I really hope not – if everyone remains humble and doesn’t stop running, I think they can go a long way [in the Champions League]. 

“Who knows, maybe even in the semi-finals if the draws are not too bad? In any case, so far the work of Spalletti’s guys is a 10 out of 10.”

Napoli welcome Bologna to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Serie A on Sunday, when they will be aiming to stretch their winning streak across all competitions to 10 matches.