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Arsenal's win over Watford gives Gunners confidence, says Sokratis

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Sokratis told reporters on Wednesday that Arsenal's away win over Watford has given the Gunners confidence

Sokratis Papastathopoulos says Arsenal's win over Watford on Monday Night Football has given the Gunners confidence going into the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Napoli.

Unai Emery's side have struggled on the road this season; Monday's unconvincing 1-0 victory against a Watford side that played 79 minutes with 10 men was only their sixth Premier League win - and first clean sheet - away from the Emirates Stadium.

While Sokratis says the victory lifted Arsenal as they take a 2-0 advantage into the away leg of their quarter-final against Napoli, he adds they are not dwelling on it.

"It was a very important win for us," said Sokratis. "It gives us confidence and it was a very important three points for the Premier League.

"But now we are here in the Europa League; it is a different competition, and we want to go further in this competition."

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Highlights of Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road on Monday night

The 30-year-old says the late stage of the season adds value to each fixture, and that they are treating every game like a final.

"Now that we are in the last steps of the Premier League and the Europa League, we want to win as much as we possibly can.

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"For us, Thursday is one more final, and we will be ready."

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Sokratis spent three years in Italy playing for Genoa and AC Milan, and knows the sort of greeting the visitors can expect from the Napoli fans.

"I think the atmosphere will be very good. But for us I don't think that's something; we have experience, we have a good team, we trust ourselves and we're ready to take this game.

"We have a lot of players that have played here before. They know that this stadium is very difficult, it's a very good team.

"We know the situation; in the end we have to play our football and be focussed for 95 minutes."

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