Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis says the 4-0 league defeat against Milan was the worst moment of his 18 years in charge of the club. The Partenopei president was speaking at a press conference announcing the clubs summer training camp and looked back on the matches against the Rossoneri, in Serie A and the Champions League and also confirmed the club is not selling any players for the moment:
“To me the Champions game in Milan or Naples didn’t bother me as much, it bothered me a lot in the league, played a few days before and one we lost so badly, that one puzzled me. You can’t be Napoli and play that well in the league and then lose to a very beatable team that in the league scored a lot less points than us and then went out against Inter.”
“In the Champions double-header there may have been referee and VAR oversights, there is also the flaw of missing a penalty. To me the Serie A game shocked me, left me dumbfounded. Are you kidding me? It cannot and should not fit. I still think back on it. The worst experience in eighteen years. They tell me: ‘it can happen in football’ – no It shouldn’t have happened.
“Managers? As of today I have committed myself to verify a list that has risen from 22 names to 40 names. I have to start verifying their availability, whether they are suitable for a 4-3-3, suitable for a high defensive and attacking line. It’s a discussion that takes time, then you have to understand their character, you have to understand if they are culturally immutable in the Parthenopean culture. Then you also have to give the other side a chance not to accept. (Vincenzo) Italiano is not in my list of 40, since he has a contract.”
“Serie A? Italian football is at least 10 years behind. It means that we have many things to change. The things that were not good 5-10 years ago, it’s not like you can suddenly change them today like you did then. You have to have a vision. Then there is FIFA turning the other way on the Africa Cup of Nations issue. Why do they have to take players away from me in January? If you have to play on those dates, then let them start the championships in April.”
“TV rights? We, Fiorentina, Roma and Milan want a League channel and to independently license our matches, other than funds. What do they know about football and entertainment business? Those in favor need to explain it to us.”
