De Laurentiis blames himself for Spalletti’s exit but ‘expected Napoli to win Champions League’

Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis blames himself for letting Luciano Spalletti go away final summer time and divulges he anticipated Napoli to win the Champions League final season.

The Partenopei President held a prolonged press convention on Wednesday morning to elucidate his choices and Napoli’s poor outcomes this time period.

Napoli gained the primary Scudetto in 33 years final time period however presently sit seventh within the desk, 4 factors under fourth-placed Atalanta. They sacked Spalletti’s alternative, Rudi Garcia, in November 2023, bringing Walter Mazzarri again to the membership.

Nonetheless, De Laurentiis feels the largest error he made was to let Spalletti go away regardless of activating a clause to increase the coach’s keep on the membership till 2025.

“I took accountability, however the contract with Spalletti was good. The identical as Rafa Benitez’s,” ADL stated as quoted by TuttoNapoli.

“I had exercised the choice which was unilateral. I had the correct to activate it with a written communication and I did it. After the primary season, I instructed Spalletti which gamers had been working in opposition to Napoli regardless of being nice professionals and, like Benitez, after the primary season, he determined to sleep right here. This implies not dropping time and waking up at evening to suppose.

“We went right into a coaching retreat in November and December 2022. January and February had been extraordinary, however there was a drop from March. Kvara, final season’s massive shock, didn’t rating a aim from March till November and dropping a giant participant like him could cause issues,” continued ADL.

“After the three video games in opposition to Milan, I emailed Spalletti to activate the choice. Many imagine it was not the correct method, however contracts and friendship usually are not the identical factor. I might have ever anticipated Spalletti to say, throughout a dinner on Might 12, that he would depart in the summertime to return to farming.

“I blame myself as a result of Spalletti needed to keep, and the choice ought to have stayed. We’d have clashed at that time, and there would have been a lawsuit, however I needed to stand agency.

“Maybe he imagined that he had given his all for the group. However I’m not in his head. That’s what I wish to suppose in good religion. I imaghat he had already foreseen a gathering with the nationwide crew, however I can’t show it.

“Spalletti stated he was drained he wished to go away however there’s a contradiction once you get the nationwide crew job. I repeat I needed to affirm Spalletti and see what would have occurred. That was the error that led to all the remaining.”

De Laurentiis spoke to a number of candidates for the Napoli job earlier than hiring Rudi Garcia.

“Thiago Motta was among the many potential replacements however throughout a six-hour assembly in Rome, he stated he aimed to teach a crew outdoors Italy, which I can’t reveal,” claimed ADL.

“I spent three days speaking to Luis Enrique however in the long run, he picked PSG.”

De Laurentiis added that he thought Napoli would win the Champions League final season and that he’s planning to construct a brand new stadium and a brand new coaching centre.

“I used to be disenchanted by the Champions League elimination as a result of I anticipated to win it,” he stated.

“Inter reached the Ultimate regardless of amassing 20 factors lower than us, so why couldn’t we be there? It was nice to win the title, however the Champions League…

“If I weren’t right here, we wouldn’t construct a brand new stadium, we wouldn’t construct a brand new coaching centre just like the one in every of Manchester Metropolis. My private cash is the assure.

“In a single and a half years, we’ll go away Castel Volturno. The work should start. As for the stadium, I instructed the Mayor that we both attain an settlement inside 120 days or construct it elsewhere.”