Sarò con te,
E tu non devi Mollare,
Abbiamo un sogno nel cuore,
Napoli torna campione! *
I know it's tempting fate to say out loud, but Napoli is well on their way to winning our third Scudetto! We’ve been waiting for thirty three-years for this moment, and I can't contain myself any longer. There were more than a few glorious moments along the way, but nothing feels quite like this. I only wish my dear friend Gennaro were alive to see this with me. Originally from Torre del Greco, we met in high school and he introduced me to calcio (football, aka soccer), S.S.C. Napoli, and the team’s lore and rivalries. Back then, we were the only Partenopei fans in our circle of friends, who mainly were Juventini, Interisti, and Milanisti. Predictably, we took a lot of abuse during our weekly squabbles, especially through the lean years (’98–’06). Thanks in part to the more recent arrivals from Naples, it’s great to see so many Napoli supporters in New York City these days.
Quickly putting to rest all the uncertainties surrounding the revamped squad at the beginning of the season, Napoli soon showed their quality and passion by emphatically outclassing their opponents. Jumping out of the gate early, the Neapolitans took a commanding lead and never relinquished it.
Clearly needing a shakeup, my friends and I were happy with most of the new signings. Except for Kalidou Koulibaly, I was okay with all the moves. Thankfully, new center-back Kim Min-Jae immediately proved me wrong and has become a fan favorite and one of the best defenders in Serie A. Yes, we were sorry to see the old guard go (Lorenzo Insigne, Dries Mertens and Fabián Ruiz, etc.), but it was time for a change.
The ascendance of Victor Osimhen, Stanislav Lobotka and Alex Meret, combined with new arrivals Giovanni Simeone, Giacomo Raspadori, and the Georgian revelation Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, has sparked new life into the squad and raised their style of play to the next level.
Team captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Matteo Politano, Elif Elmas, and the rest of the squad have all thrived and gelled under the brilliant coaching of Luciano Spalletti. As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats, and there hasn’t been a disappointment among them. I’m not one to buy a jersey anymore, but if I were to, it would have to be Mário Rui’s number six. In the shadow of the big-name stars, the unsung Portuguese left-back is a fiery playmaker whose tenacious work ethic was indispensable for the team’s success.
While I expected a competitive side who would fight for at least a top-four finish, I never expected this in my wildest dreams. Napoli are dominating Serie A and dazzling all comers in the Champions League with their attractive brand of football. As of this writing, they are 19 points ahead of second-place, Lazio, with a mind-boggling 48 goal difference (F-64 A-16). Napoli are currently in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history and, to make things more interesting, they're facing their northern Italian rivals, Milan.
Aside from the ugly special edition kits for Christmas and Valentine's Day, the one disappointment thus far was the loss to Cremonese in the Coppa Italia. I don't want to be too greedy or arrogant, but it was a side we should have easily beaten and a tournament we could have won. More importantly, it would have prevented our northern rivals from winning silverware. While we never want to lose, the tight 1-0 losses in Serie A to Inter and Lazio, two quality sides, are nothing to be embarrassed over.
As a bonus, our bitter rivals Juventus were docked fifteen points for financial irregularities and false accounting by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). So instead of second place, they currently sit in seventh. I would love to see the Turin giants shamed and relegated, but I will be satisfied if they miss out on European football next season. Unfortunately, I don’t believe the teams from Rome and Milan, let alone the knobs from Bergamo, will keep them out.
Truly one for the books, we will forever be grateful to the lads, Mr. Spaletti and his coaching staff, Sporting Director Cristiano Giuntoli, and of course, President Aurelio De Laurentiis and his entire organization for this historic achievement. They have all earned a place of honor among Napoli’s revered pantheon of sporting legends.
With only eleven games left to play, and if everything goes well, Napoli can officially win the championship in five against Duosiciliano compatriots, Salernitana. In a dream scenario, the teams following them slip up, and Napoli wins in four against Juventus in Torino. Either way, Forza Napoli Sempre! ♥︎♥︎♥︎
Clearly needing a shakeup, my friends and I were happy with most of the new signings. Except for Kalidou Koulibaly, I was okay with all the moves. Thankfully, new center-back Kim Min-Jae immediately proved me wrong and has become a fan favorite and one of the best defenders in Serie A. Yes, we were sorry to see the old guard go (Lorenzo Insigne, Dries Mertens and Fabián Ruiz, etc.), but it was time for a change.
The ascendance of Victor Osimhen, Stanislav Lobotka and Alex Meret, combined with new arrivals Giovanni Simeone, Giacomo Raspadori, and the Georgian revelation Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, has sparked new life into the squad and raised their style of play to the next level.
Team captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Matteo Politano, Elif Elmas, and the rest of the squad have all thrived and gelled under the brilliant coaching of Luciano Spalletti. As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats, and there hasn’t been a disappointment among them. I’m not one to buy a jersey anymore, but if I were to, it would have to be Mário Rui’s number six. In the shadow of the big-name stars, the unsung Portuguese left-back is a fiery playmaker whose tenacious work ethic was indispensable for the team’s success.
While I expected a competitive side who would fight for at least a top-four finish, I never expected this in my wildest dreams. Napoli are dominating Serie A and dazzling all comers in the Champions League with their attractive brand of football. As of this writing, they are 19 points ahead of second-place, Lazio, with a mind-boggling 48 goal difference (F-64 A-16). Napoli are currently in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history and, to make things more interesting, they're facing their northern Italian rivals, Milan.
Aside from the ugly special edition kits for Christmas and Valentine's Day, the one disappointment thus far was the loss to Cremonese in the Coppa Italia. I don't want to be too greedy or arrogant, but it was a side we should have easily beaten and a tournament we could have won. More importantly, it would have prevented our northern rivals from winning silverware. While we never want to lose, the tight 1-0 losses in Serie A to Inter and Lazio, two quality sides, are nothing to be embarrassed over.
As a bonus, our bitter rivals Juventus were docked fifteen points for financial irregularities and false accounting by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). So instead of second place, they currently sit in seventh. I would love to see the Turin giants shamed and relegated, but I will be satisfied if they miss out on European football next season. Unfortunately, I don’t believe the teams from Rome and Milan, let alone the knobs from Bergamo, will keep them out.
Truly one for the books, we will forever be grateful to the lads, Mr. Spaletti and his coaching staff, Sporting Director Cristiano Giuntoli, and of course, President Aurelio De Laurentiis and his entire organization for this historic achievement. They have all earned a place of honor among Napoli’s revered pantheon of sporting legends.
With only eleven games left to play, and if everything goes well, Napoli can officially win the championship in five against Duosiciliano compatriots, Salernitana. In a dream scenario, the teams following them slip up, and Napoli wins in four against Juventus in Torino. Either way, Forza Napoli Sempre! ♥︎♥︎♥︎
~ Giovanni di Napoli, March 29, Feast of San Bertoldo di Calabria
* I’ll be with you,
And you must not give up,
We've got a dream in our heart,
Napoli, become a champion again! ~ Napoli football chant
And you must not give up,
We've got a dream in our heart,
Napoli, become a champion again! ~ Napoli football chant
