revenge on behalf of Diego Maradona by knocking
Real Madrid out of the Champions League.
Maurizio Sarri's side finished top of Group B, but
have been handed a tough tie with the holders in
the last 16 of the competition.
The meeting will be the first between the sides
since the opening round of the 1987-88
tournament, when a Napoli outfit featuring the
legendary Maradona were beaten 3-1 on aggregate
by Madrid, who went on to lose the semi-final to
eventual champions PSV.
The Italians lost the first game 2-0 at the Santiago
Bernabeu, before a 1-1 draw at the San Paolo –
which Maradona missed – confirmed Madrid's
passage to the next round.
And Strinic is determined to make amends for
Napoli's failure 19 years ago,
telling Sportske Novosti: "We will avenge
Maradona. We will do against Real what Diego
didn't manage to do.
"We will be tough, we are aware how good Real
are, but we are playing very well. If we were to face
Real next week, I would be very optimistic. But who
knows how both Real and us will be by then."
Strinic is prepared for a tough battle with Ballon
d'Or-winner Cristiano Ronaldo but he suggested
that Croatia team-mate Luka Modric could be
equally important to Madrid's chances.
"Ronaldo is amazing, but why don't you ask me
how do we plan to stop Modric?" he said.
The first leg takes place in the Spanish capital on
February 15.
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