Napoli lost 0-2 away to Manchester City in the first round of this season's UEFA Champions League group stage. After the match, the team's midfielder Scott McTominay accepted an interview with Camel Live, sharing his thoughts on the team's performance, his own adaptation, and his feelings about returning to Manchester.
On His Views on the Match
“Yes, it was obviously a very tough game, especially after we had a player sent off. But that’s football—you have to see it through and give everything. Facing a top team like City is already a huge challenge with 11 vs 11, let alone with 10 men. Tonight was really tough for us.”
On His Feelings About Facing City’s Fast Passing and Combination Play
“They pass the ball so quickly, which really put us under a lot of pressure defensively. We had to keep closing down spaces and do our best to limit their supply to their attacking players—especially keeping tabs on threatening players like Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku, trying not to let them play comfortably. But honestly, it was really tough.”
On Evaluating the Team’s Defense and the Decisive Role of Opponents’ Individual Ability
“We organized defensively quite well for most of the game, kept our shape tight, and showed grit. At halftime, we knew that with one man down, we had to maintain high discipline, give our all to limit them, and try to create some chances in attack. But as you can imagine, when you expend so much energy on defense, it’s hard to keep posing a consistent threat in attack. They have top players who can change the game in an instant, and sometimes you just have to accept that. That’s football, and we have to hold our heads up and move forward.”
On His Feelings About Returning to Manchester
“Of course, this place will always feel like home. I still have my house here, and my family lives within an hour's drive. So Manchester has always meant something special to me. But I also really enjoy living in Italy— the people and everything there are great. So coming back this time felt really good.”
On Adapting to Italian Football and Winning the Serie A MVP
"Even though the result of this game wasn’t ideal, I’ve really adapted well here. Yes, winning the Serie A MVP was definitely a nice surprise. My first season was even smoother than I initially imagined. I’ve always taken pride in my mentality and work ethic, and I always push myself to improve every year. I try to get into the box more in games and work hard to create chances in the final third, which I really enjoy. It was an incredible season that I’ll never forget. But like I said, top athletes—true professionals, no matter the field, sport, or job—have to keep performing consistently, repeat that level of play, and strive to be the best. That’s my responsibility, and I’ll keep pushing for the next level of improvement."
