Leipzig Boss Ralph Hasenhuttl Expects an Intense Match Against 'Exciting' Napoli

RB Leipzig manager Ralph Hasenhuttl is expecting an entertaining match on Thursday night as his side takes on Italian heavyweights Napoli in the Europa League, and maintains that the competition is very much a priority in a season where Bayern Munich look set to retain the Bundesliga title.

Leipzig travel to Stadio San Paolo this week in a bid to return to Germany with some very vital away goals that can make the return fixture a much easier affair for them. Napoli will be without Belgium superstar Dries Mertens through suspension, and while Hasenhuttl will be glad about that, he's still cautious of Lorenzo Insigne:

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“I expect to see an intense match against a strong opponent, but we hope to achieve our objective anyway,” said Hasenhuttl in his pre-match press conference, via Football Italia.

“There are players with a lot of quality at Napoli, but fortunately Dries Mertens is suspended. Lorenzo Insigne will make a difference, though.

“There are some analogies between the sides and we have to expect an entertaining match, because Napoli also play a very attacking style of football. Much of the credit goes to their coach.”

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While Napoli are currently fighting tooth and nail for the Serie A title, Leipzig's best chance of silverware this campaign may well be the Europa League, and the manager is adamant that he will do his best to bring it home:

“The Bundesliga is very important to us, but so is the Europa League. We’ve got to give our best, no matter if the stadium is full or empty, as we always play the same way.