Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso has declared their looming Champions League showdown with Barcelona as historic.

Napoli are gearing up for the Champions League Round of 16 with Barcelona, having drawn the first leg 1-1 in February.

Gattuso said, “We can make history in a couple of weeks, as Napoli have never reached the Champions League quarter-finals. It's not easy for us to focus here in July, because there are beaches, boats, it's too hot to stay indoors… We did switch off at times in recent weeks, that's obvious, but I liked us tonight.

“We can't make the slightest error against Barcelona. They get half a chance and put it in the top corner. We've got to play 95 minutes with our heads in the game. People think passing is easy, it's really not. We have to become a team that thinks, that covers spaces the right way and remains totally focused.

“Instead, at the first error, we don't move as much, we make the wrong choices, that's unacceptable. Fabian Ruiz made a lot of mistakes today, but that can happen, he's tired. I rested Mario Rui today, some others clearly also need to rest, because they are playing below their capabilities.

“When we decided to sign Diego Demme and Stanislav Lobotka, it's because we knew they could give us different characteristics and alternatives. That was the intention, they are very different players."