Napoli coach Antonio Conte was upbeat after losing their Champions League opener at Manchester City.
City won 2-0 on Thursday night, though Napoli saw defender Giovanni di Lorenzo sent off midway through the first-half.
Conte said afterwards: "From what I saw, both in the first 20 minutes and in the rest of the game, we came out stronger, we came out fortified. You all saw the game plan in the first 20 minutes. We came here to play the game, we accepted the duel. The feeling I had was that when we were in possession we could hurt Manchester City.
"The strange thing is that last year we didn't even have a red card, while tonight in the Champions League against a great team we conceded one after 20 minutes and the game changed completely. I take the positive aspect of those 70-80 minutes in which we played with ten men against eleven with great dedication, a great desire not to give in to fate.
"We conceded goals by pressing high, if you see, on a throw-in in their half. You have to understand certain moments, understand that the game had changed."
Conte also stated, "Today, the feeling I'm taking away is that of a team that came here with great maturity and a desire to play the game. The plan was clear. We could have hurt them badly with the ball, that's the feeling I had. It's normal for you to lose to Manchester City; we're talking about a team equipped to win this competition. The important thing is that we learn from it. I'm taking away positive feelings."
I didn't want to do it
Kevin de Bruyne, on his return to City, was substituted immediately after Di Lorenzo's dismissal.
Conte explained, "I was disappointed. Since I've been Napoli's manager, we've only had one red card. Tonight, in a Champions League opener away to Manchester City, with De Bruyne returning home, I was. Sometimes that's fate.
"I was disappointed to have to remove him for us, for the contribution he makes to the team. And then he returned to an environment where he's been for ten years. It's disappointing, but I had no other option. The boy understood it because he's a serious, decent guy. Sometimes fate presents you with unthinkable situations.
"I had thought about something completely different, never changing the formation, bringing in a full-back for De Bruyne, moving Spinazzola to the right to find a balance."