Carlo Ancelotti Claims Atalanta Game Will Be 'More Difficult' Than Final UCL Match Against Liverpool

Napoli manager Carlo Ancelotti cheekily claimed his side's trip to Atalanta on Monday would be tougher than their final Champions League group stage game at

Napoli manager Carlo Ancelotti cheekily claimed his side's trip to Atalanta on Monday would be tougher than their final Champions League group stage game at Liverpool, following their 3-1 victory over Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday.

A brace from Dries Mertens and Marek Hamsik's close range volley gave Gli Azzurri a deserved win, and while Red Star pulled one back through El Fardou Ben, Napoli secured the win to take the top spot in Group C ahead of the final match day.

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As long as Napoli avoid defeat by two goals at Anfield they will qualify for the knockout stages, and Ancelotti seemed relatively confident about the task at hand.

He said, as quoted by Goal: "We must go there with courage and play. Now let's think about Bergamo, which is more difficult than Liverpool.

"I'm satisfied. We played with great intensity for 60 minutes, then there was a physiological decline, which was inevitable.

"The goal [for Red Star] could have been avoided immediately. But we cannot be doing maths when we go to play Liverpool.

"We have shown our qualities, we have an advantage that makes us proud. We are leading the most difficult group of the Champions League."

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Napoli face Atalanta on Monday night and will hope to see Juventus drop points before the clash, with the Serie A champions playing Fiorentina on Saturday.

Ancelotti's side face Liverpool at Anfield on December 11, with just three points separating leaders Napoli and the Reds, with PSG in between on eight points.