Napoli goalkeeper Rafael expressed his joy at seeing his side qualify for the last 32 of the Europa League with a draw against Sparta Prague on Thursday evening.
The Brazilian kept a clean sheet in the contest, though saw the frame of his goal rattled twice by the Czech side.
“We knew it would be difficult,” he admitted through Napoli’s Twitter account, “and we wanted to win.”
“We were better in the second half,” the former Santos stopper continued, “but we’re happy with qualification. We are all mentally strong, you have to be to wear this shirt.”
“I enjoy the confidence from my coach, my teammates and the club,” he went on to acknowledge, “but I have a career behind me that earned it.”
The Brazilian struggled to make his mark during his first season at the Stadio San Paolo, but has been an ever-present this campaign in both Serie A and Napoli’s european campaign.
