Napoli boss, Antonio Conte, has described his team’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League on Thursday night as the work of the devil.
Speaking after the game at the Etihad Stadium, the former Chelsea boss said the defeat left a bitter taste in their mouth.
Manchester City’s goals came through the boots of Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku.
Napoli were also reduced to 10 men in the 21st minute when Giovanni Di Lorenzo was given a straight red card for his foul on Haaland.
Conte told his postmatch press briefing, “We were all left with a bitter taste in our mouths.
“It’s disappointing, we prepared for the match the way we played it in the first 20 minutes and the sending off changed it.
“…City would have had a hard time against us.”
The former Inter Milan boss said, “Sometimes the devil takes a turn, there’s a cruel twist of fate. Last year we didn’t have a sending off, today in the Champions League we did.”
Conte apologised to the fans saying, “I’m sorry, these are games where a sending off ruins them and you can’t do the exact right thing.”