Francesco Totti returns to discuss his relationship with Naples and the Napoli team, a bond he himself describes as "special" and that transcends the challenges on the pitch. On the eve of Roma-Napoli, the former Giallorossi captain recalls the years of great sporting battles and the affection he received from the Neapolitan fans.
"My strongest memory? Napoli-Roma on the penultimate day of 2001.", says Totti. "If we had won, Napoli would have been relegated to Serie B, and that was unthinkable for such a passionate club. Naples has always reminded me of Rome: the same energy, the same emotional charge."
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According to Totti, the bond with the Azzurri fans has never been broken: "The Napoli fans are incredible. They've always had a soft spot for me, except when I faced them on the pitch. Since I stopped playing, their affection has never wavered. That means a lot to me."
Totti reiterated how much the Neapolitan fans impressed him even beyond the matches: "Naples is a place that lives football like few others in the world. I've always felt it: when I played, it was a total challenge, but off the pitch, the respect was enormous." A mutual, intense relationship, which Totti continues to claim: "In Naples I found a fan base that gets under your skin. You never forget it."
Comments (2)
Great Totti
Totti talks about his relationship with Napoli, but I don't understand why he always has to come back to this topic. The rivalry is strong, and I don't know if that's right. The fans are passionate, but in the end, everyone supports their own team.