De Laurentiis: “Conte a leader, I hope he will test himself with us in the Champions League too”

Aurelio De Laurentiis does not hide behind pleasantries, he raises the curtain on the triumph and already looks beyond. The president of Napoli, absolute protagonist of the post-scudetto, enjoys the fourth title in the history of Naples, but in his gaze there is the hunger of someone who wants more, much more. “Saying four is a good number, but let's hope it's just the beginning of a continuity”, he declared to the microphones of Dazn, aware that the project built with Antonio Conte has only just begun to bear fruit.

And he tells an almost cinematic anecdote, as is his style: “When I met him in the Maldives, I was immediately struck by his mentality. In November I tried to bring him immediately, he preferred to start in June to build something important. He did it, chapeau”.

He doesn't commit himself about the future, but the door is more than open: “Never say never, coaches must be respected, but Naples is Naples and those who want to stay must know how to seize it. I hope that next year Conte will also put himself to the test in Champions, that would be fantastic”. It is a clear invitation, seasoned with a deep recognition for the work done: “If someone makes himself available as he did, we are all ready to follow him like a leader”.

The Azzurri patron does not forget where it all started: “We have collected Napoli in court, people sometimes forget it. But this is a city that gives you the best of life, if you know how to understand it”. And on the possible arrival of a big name like Kevin De Bruyne, he cuts it short but doesn't close it completely: “Let’s not start with prying questions. We are working to build an even stronger team, respecting those who brought us this far”.