Sarri wants Maradona to give Napoli team talk

Cape Town - Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri has revealed that he would like Diego Maradona to give his side a team talk ahead of their Champions League last-16 clash with Real Madrid.

The Argentinian legend will be in attendance for the first-leg tie at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, but Sarri wants him to play a more important role for the Partenopei.

Maradona was part of the Napoli side that lost 2-0 in Madrid in 1987 when they faced Los Merengues in the first round of the European Cup.

"It would be good if Maradona could speak to the side before the game," Sarri told a pre-match news conference.

"It would help the side - hopefully he has the time to do so."

Turning his attention to the game itself, Sarri said: "There's risks to playing our way but being afraid would not be good.

"We need to be ourselves and face the match with the idea that we are facing the European champions, but it's important for us to see up to what point we can compete with sides on a world level.

"The first thing we need to think about is that it is beautiful to play against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

"I'm going to use the most offensive strategy I can that will also allow us to defend in the right manner and contain Real Madrid."

Kick off is at 21:45.