A dominant, solid Napoli, driven by clear ideas and iconic players who made the difference. For Massimo Mauro, the key to the Azzurri's second Scudetto in 1990, the key to this year's triumph has a name and surname: Aurelio De Laurentiis. "He's found the right formula to get everyone to perform at their best, and that's what a president should do. The first credit goes to him, then Conte ," he declared to Radio Anch'io Sport on Rai Radio1.
A season to remember, culminating in the Scudetto on the final day, and a clear identity: "This is the Napoli of McTominay and Politano. Politano has become a true leader on the right flank and had an extraordinary season. McTominay was simply incredible."
And yet, the future already seems poised for a change. According to Mauro, Conte's reign could end here, without drama: "Napoli has always struggled the year after the Scudetto. Conte knows this and perhaps prefers to avoid it. And even De Laurentiis might not see it as a tragedy, quite the opposite. I feel like there's a shared sense of serenity. Change after a triumph can be healthy. If Allegri were to arrive, he would be an excellent choice: he knows the group, understands the game, and, let's face it, De Laurentiis enjoys winning with former Juve players."
Mauro: “Napoli, for the Champions League we need to extend the squad”
He also looks to the future with the Azzurri's double-header in the Champions League: "We need to expand the squad; three or four players will do. The structure is already there, and let's not forget that under Spalletti we almost reached the semifinals." Mauro, however, is holding off on big-name players like De Bruyne: "I prefer winning bets like McTominay. Spending crazy sums on players with no prospects doesn't convince me. I'm skeptical of this type of deal."
He also took a dig at AC Milan, lost between their peaks and troughs: "They need to rediscover the desire to really work, to return to the humility and technical quality of their past. Consistency has been lacking; that's the real limitation." Finally, a word on Tudor and Juventus: "He did well to speak out. Going to the Club World Cup and then leaving would be a farce. Consistency is needed, respect is needed. Better to leave early than accept compromises with no future."
Napoli has done well this year and it is clear that De Laurentiis knows how to manage the club. But I wonder if the future with Conte is really so uncertain, maybe you don't need to always change to get results.