AP, Naples :
Dries Mertens scored twice as Napoli comfortably saw off Red Star Belgrade 3-1 on Wednesday, but the Italian side will have to wait to book its place in the Champions League knockout stage.
Marek Hamsik netted Napoli’s other goal, while Ben Nabouhane pulled a late goal back for Red Star. However, Carlo Ancelotti’s side still needs a point against Liverpool in the final round of group fixtures to guarantee advancement after Paris Saint-Germain beat the English 2-1 in the other Group C match.
“This team gives me great emotions, this group tested us and I am convinced that we can compete against anyone in Europe,” Ancelotti said. “We can’t go to Liverpool thinking about the math, we have to go there and play like we deserve to be top of a very difficult group, with courage.
“At the end of the day, it’s such a difficult and balanced group that it couldn’t be decided with a match remaining.”
Napoli tops the group with nine points, one more than PSG and three more than Liverpool.
Red Star beat Liverpool at home in the previous round of games and also drew with Napoli in the first meeting between the two sides. But its away form has been dismal, having lost 6-1 at PSG and 4-0 in England.
“Liverpool is a tough team, but we can fight for it, it will be a great match,” Hamsik said. “Of course there’s still regret that we drew in Belgrade but no-one thought we could be top of the group at this stage.”
Napoli almost took the lead in the fifth minute but visiting goalkeeper Milan Borjan did well to parry Mertens’ backheel flick from close range.
The hosts did go in front six minutes later when a corner was flicked on for Hamsik to volley in his first goal of the season.
