Napoli’s turbulent journey in European football takes another twist as the club braces for a hefty penalty from UEFA. The uproar stems from an incident where Napoli’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, abruptly halted Matteo Politano’s interview with Sky Sports Italia.
According to La Repubblica (via Calciomercato), the unexpected interruption occurred as Politano was discussing Napoli’s upcoming Champions League showdown with Barcelona. De Laurentiis stormed onto the scene, accusing the Sky crew of overstepping boundaries by interviewing the player. He insisted that Napoli’s players were only authorized to speak with journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, excluding his colleague Massimo Ugolini from the conversation.
This chaotic outburst from De Laurentiis is expected to have serious consequences, as UEFA prepares to impose a significant fine on the club. The European governing body is displeased with the breach of contract rules, emphasizing the importance of upholding the integrity of TV rights.
De Laurentiis’ erratic behavior in recent weeks has drawn increasing attention. Just weeks prior, he clashed with broadcaster DAZN ahead of Napoli’s match against Juventus, resulting in a €100,000 fine from Lega Serie A.
