Champions League: Napoli defenders Koulibaly and Ghoulam on drawing Liverpool and KRC Genk

The African duo learnt their group stage opponents on Thursday with Napoli paired in Group E

Napoli defenders Kalidou Koulibaly and Faouzi Ghoulam admitted they face a tough challenge to advance from Group E of the Champions League.

The Italian outfit was grouped against reigning champions Liverpool, Austrian champions RB Salzburg and Belgian champions KRC Genk during Thursday's draw in Monaco.

The pairing reunites Koulibaly with his former club, Genk which he left to join the Partenopei in 2014. The draw also rekindles their rivalry against Liverpool who knocked them out of the elite European competition in last season's group stage.

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Ahead of the opening fixtures from September 17, Ghoulam and Koulibaly assured Napoli will be ready and will not fear any of their opponents.

"Tough opponents. We will face them with respect but without fear," Ghoulam tweeted