Napoli captain Marek Hamsik admitted the team's exploits this season have taken him by surprise.

Hamsik and Co. preserved their 100 per cent record in the Europa League after five matchdays via Thursday's 1-0 win at Club Brugge.

The away win continued Napoli's good form domestically and in Europe, having not tasted defeat since the opening day of the Serie A season in August - a run of 17 matches.

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia afterwards in Belgium, Hamsik - whose Napoli are second in Italy's top flight - said: "I honestly didn't expect Napoli to be this successful, although there was already some good material to work with last season.

"Scudetto? We can believe if we continue to play well. There's a very long way to go, so we can't say, but if the results arrive and we keep playing like this, then we can believe in the title."

Napoli had already been assured of qualification as Group D winners prior to kick-off on Thursday.

And former Tottenham defender Vlad Chiriches added to Napoli's already impressive Europa League campaign with the game's only goal in the 41st minute at Jan Breydelstadion.

"It was a difficult game psychologically, as we avoided a potential collapse in motivation seeing as we were already qualified and the stadium was deserted," coach Maurizio Sarri added.

"There were big risks and we were practically without any available strikers. The lads did well to nonetheless play a real game, so this is another clear step forward."