Maurizio Sarri: 'Napoli played like buffoons against RB Leipzig'

Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri has admitted that his side played like "buffoons" in the first leg of their round-of-32 Europa League clash against RB Leipzig.

The German side were able to earn an emphatic 3-1 lead against the Italians in a shock defeat at the Stadio San Paolo, leading Sarri to also state that much of the blame for the performance fell on his shoulders.

"We played like buffoons in the first leg and 70% of that is my fault, 10% the club, 10% the players and 10% the staff," Sarri told reporters ahead of the return fixture on Thursday.

"It certainly wasn't the fault of the reserve players, because we had our worst part of the performance when the first-choice players came on.

"Tomorrow we must step on to the field with the desire to win and prove ourselves. Hopefully the incidents can go our way, so we can have a shot at qualification."

On domestic soil, Sarri's Napoli currently hold top spot in Serie A, one point clear of second-placed Juventus.