Napoli owner: We need 25 players

After Napoli's heartbreaking Champions League exit, owner Aurelio de Laurentiis has asserted that the Partnopei need a bigger squad.

Napoli exited the Champions League last night in unlucky fashion after a 2-0 victory over Arsenal that took them up to 12 points in the group stage and owner Aurelio de Laurentiis rued the lack of depth in the squad.

The Partenopei knew that a three-goal win over the Gunners would secure a heroic qualification for the next round but they fell a goal short and were nonetheless applauded off the field by their fans.

Rafa Benitez had been hit by several injury problems ahead of the all-important encounter at the Stadio San Paolo and owner De Laurentiis has revealed that he would like to strengthen the squad.

"The market is always in progress," he told Sportmediaset.

"These days it's not possible to play in all competitions with 16 or 17 players like it was before when they used to tell me that it was too difficult to manage the dressing room with too many players.

"Instead you can manage 25 players at Napoli level."

Napoli may now turn to the January transfer market to try and reignite their Scudetto challenge and to prepare for their Europa League campaign.

The Azzurri are in the same boat as Juventus, who lead Serie A but were also dumped out of the Champions League.

Culled from Hereinthecity