Griezmann tells Napoli second leg will be ‘very different’

Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images

The Frenchman was on target in the first leg

Barcelona striker Antoine Griezmann has warned Napoli the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie will be different at the Camp Nou.

Griezmann rescued a 1-1 draw for Barca at the Stadio San Paolo on Tuesday with a crucial away goal after Dries Mertens opened the scoring.

Barca found it tough breaking down Gennaro Gattuso’s side, but Griezmann thinks it will be a different story back in Spain.

“Now we’ve got the home leg – it’ll be very different. We’ll generate more space to play in and in front of our own crowd we must win.

“I’ve got to work on my game – the team needs me to stretch the pitch and add verticality. Sometimes they see my movement, sometimes not. It’s down to me to create spaces. In the first half I didn’t succeed – second half, I did.

”At first we found it hard to find space, or create space or get shots on goal. But the more we saw that they were tiring, the more we we able to push forward and make chances. We came to win, we played to win but it wasn’t to be tonight.”

Source | Champions League

Griezmann’s goal gives Barca the edge ahead of the second leg, but they will be without midfielders Sergio Busquets and Arturo Vidal at the Camp Nou due to suspension.

Source: barcablaugranes.com