00:00The Champions League campaign is about to get underway again, how excited are you?
00:04Really excited, we know what this competition means to all of us, the experience of last
00:09year as well, so we need to start with the first game in a really, really tough place,
00:14but we're excited to start the campaign.
00:16The last three seasons we've reached the quarter-finals, the semi-finals and now the final, what will
00:20it take for us to go one step further this year and win the competition?
00:23Let's start well tomorrow, that's the only thing we can do, we'll start putting a big
00:27performance tomorrow to increase the probability of winning the game.
00:32Our waveform has been excellent in the Champions League as well over the past couple of years,
00:35I think it's only one defeat in the last 12 or something like that, what do you think
00:38that would you put that down to?
00:40The consistency of the performances that we put in and the fact that we have been really
00:47dominant even when we play at home, with our identity, with what we want to achieve in
00:53games and yeah, believing and being convinced that we can do it.
00:58Napoli are under new management but they've got lots of familiar faces to Premier League
01:02fans, what are you expecting from them?
01:04A really tough place, I've been in that stadium before, I know the atmosphere they create,
01:08the record at home is really, really strong, a very experienced manager, a lot of players
01:13that played in the league as well, so yeah, we know the challenge ahead, we are prepared
01:18and we're ready to go.
01:19And it must be ideal as well going into this game with a 100% record this season as well.
01:24Yeah, obviously that puts you in a really good situation and the more the energy and the
01:29confidence around the team, it's high and that's what we have to show tomorrow on that
01:33pitch.
01:33Ricky, how excited are you for another season for the Champions League?
01:36Yeah, obviously pretty excited and also it's a nice start to start in Italy and Naples
01:43as a special city and I'm really looking forward to play this game.
01:47Your form this season has been superb, you must be really proud to be nominated for the Premier
01:50League Player of the Month award.
01:52Yeah, we started in a perfect way I would say and I hope that we can keep going like that.
01:58We've seen you popping up in all sorts of interesting attacking positions this season, leading to
02:02goals and assists, how much do you enjoy in that freedom?
02:05Yeah, I always enjoy a lot to play with my teammates and the way we're playing, especially
02:12in this beginning of the season, it's amazing the flow that we have, I mean, I think you
02:18can see on the pitch and yeah, I enjoy a lot.
02:21How much work goes into that side of the game as well, because obviously naturally you're
02:25defender, they have to worry about the defensive side, but also the attacking aspects as well?
02:30Yeah, I think, I don't know, the boss and the staff saw that I had this thing inside me
02:37and they tried to help me as well with the timing of the movements and where to go.
02:43But of course, as you mentioned, I'm a defender so I also need to help the team in that sense
02:48and when I'm occupying this position, there's always another player who's trying to help
02:54me or defend me.
02:55Obviously heading back to Italy for this game against Napoli, what can we expect from
02:59the atmosphere there?
03:00Yeah, I think it will be amazing, especially for a Champions League night, the stadium will
03:06be buzzing for sure and can't wait to play, yeah.
03:09We've only lost once in 16 Champions League League-phase games over the past couple of
03:14years.
03:14How important is it to build good form heading into the knockout stages of the tournament?
03:19Yeah, I think you could see from the last two editions that we won most of our games and
03:25the first time we've been to the semi-final and last season we got to the final, so it's
03:31really important for us and we have to keep going.
03:34Speaking of momentum as well, obviously we've won every game so far this season, how great
03:38is that to start the Champions League with that four behind us?
03:41Yeah, it's helpful for sure and we are really confident at the moment, especially for these
03:49results that we achieve.
03:50Ricky, we're heading back to Italy, heading to Napoli, a team you know well, what can we
03:54expect from them?
03:56I think the atmosphere will be incredible, especially because it's a night in the Champions League,
04:05it's a team that's very prepared, with strong players, some ex-compagnos, friends and
04:11friends.
04:12I don't see the time to play this game, it's so important for us and for them.
