"Napoli magic, now let us win too." L'Italy di Roberto Mancini restarts from Maradona. Nine and a half years after the last time with theArmenia, the National Team welcomes back Napoli, on March 23. And it does so at a particular time: it is the first race after the World Championship Qatar and it's the first time since the disappearance of Gianluca vialli.
Il St. Paul, today Maradona, lives again in the words of the coach in the interview given to The morning signed by Bruno Majorano and Pino Taormina.
Mancini: "There's always great enthusiasm in Naples, and it will be like that."
"The emotion of the gigantic stadium - He says - I'm 16 and a half years old and I'm a starter for Bologna when they face Napoli. Back then, the stands in Fuorigrotta were always packed, you knew you'd have to deal with that boundless passion from the Neapolitans, and it was something that took its toll. And I think we lost that time..."
His first goal at San Paolo "That shot from the edge of the box that allowed my Sampdoria to draw 1-1 comes to mind. That Napoli, it was 1984, barely escaped with a win. Then, a few months later, Diego Maradona arrived."
"Once Mantovani, perhaps jokingly, he told me that Ferlaino He had called him to ask about me and to take me to Naples. And he replied: "Sure, I'll give it to you, but on the condition that we make a trade with Diego."
Yet another amarcord: Italy-Sweden 2-1, November 14, 1987. "That was the decisive match to go to West Germany, to the European Championship. And obviously the twelfth man on the pitch was the Naples crowd. Playing at the San Paolo was always amazing, it felt like you were breathing in the atmosphere of a European Cup final every time.".
"vialThese will be difficult days; the great void I feel every day will be felt even more strongly. So many years together, so many wonderful memories, so many happy days. Everything he left us must be useful for our present and our future.
Italy-Argentina of the 1990. Naples supported "For Italy. Then, of course, it wasn't easy for a Neapolitan, given that Maradona was on the other side. He was another Neapolitan, not just an Argentine. And so for many, it was a battle of emotions. Diego made some intelligent statements before that semi-final, he did what a leader should do."
One of the cornerstones of his Italy and now By Lorenzo. "He's grown a lot, but he was also showing important signs at Empoli. Now he's reached a very high level both physically and mentally."
"Winning the Scudetto in Naples would be even better."
It almost seems like a rarity that a team other than Milan, Inter o Juventus may he win title. "History says so. It's always an uphill battle to win in the South, far from Milan and Turin. But it would be even better for our football if this happened more often. And if it wasn't just an exception."
L'England "They're one of the strongest national teams around. They were eliminated from the World Cup by France, and perhaps undeservedly so. They've been a tough team for years; we need to get off to a good start, so we need to be carried along by the Maradona crowd. We want a stadium filled with love for Italy."
"Attack? We have a lot of problems, from Immobile to Raspadori."
The bad news: in attack there is some problem. "Some?! The problems ahead are serious. Property it's out, Breakers Uncertain. We have some big questions. Almost all the central attackers have played very few minutes in recent months."
"We don't have one who has played as a starter, maybe only Gnonto He played a bit more at Leeds and can play as a central striker. But otherwise, we're in a bad situation: Chess he is recovering from an injury, Ciro got hurt, Belotti he plays little".
That's why he went to get Company in Romania: "I've been following him for two years, and he always plays and even scores goals. We've pre-called him and then we'll see how things go.". Hope is the recovery of Breakers.
Forgot the Qatar "Yes, stop thinking about it. It was a disappointment. But we have to put everything behind us. The disappointments and the good things like the European Championship triumph. Let's focus on these qualifiers and then think about winning the Nations League in June."
Zaniolo he was the first, then Tonali and now pafundi: but do we have any hope for the future from the youth teams? "Pafundi's qualities are enormous, but we need to shorten the time... There are many good ones, but they don't play. And that's the problem."
Zaniolo he made the right choice: "I also told him, when he asked my opinion, to go to the GalatasarayI hope he plays because it's important to us. Going to Türkiye was the only option he had, given that he had no other option and that the transfer market only allowed him that route."
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