De Laurentiis goes all-out: "Allegri? We'll talk after the fact. The €200 million Maradona? A pittance."

Naples – Aurelio De Laurentiis returns from the United States and, true to form, immediately sets the Neapolitan summer ablaze. Immediately after landing in Los Angeles, before boarding the superyacht Boardwalk hosted by US Ambassador Tilman J. Fertitta in the port of Naples, the Napoli president gave a long and sharp speech to reporters, touching on all the hot topics: from the bench to the future of the club, to stadium management.

The bench knot and the Centenary

The current buzzword has a name and surname: Massimiliano Allegri. De Laurentiis isn't closing the door, but he's imposing a strategic press blackout:
"We shouldn't and can't talk about it until we actually have it and present it. Choices are made based on continuity."

A few words that sound like cautious confirmation, before launching the grand celebrations for the club's centenary: "From August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027, there will be continuous celebrations. We have everything planned, and we'll start in July with the first teasers." The sporting goal remains ambitious: "We're the only team that has consistently improved, now we need to consolidate and improve in Europe."

The attack on the system and the stadium “case”

The most challenging chapter, however, is the one dedicated to Italian sports and economic policy, compared to the American model. The Azzurri patron calls for a complete overhaul and attacks the federation's top brass, particularly Giancarlo Abete: "When I hear people say that football is merely a social issue and that industry is being renounced, I'm shocked. With Malagò, all of Italian football will have to sacrifice itself and reset everything. The Americans are moving forward, we are stagnant."

The president's frustration then quickly shifted to local institutions and the restyling projects for the Fuorigrotta plant:

"In the United States, they're building stadiums for $6 billion. Here I hear that the mayor and the governor of the region want to rebuild the Maradona Stadium for $200 million. Guys, what are we talking about? Nothing."

The "no" to the rumours of a sale

Finally, a scathing quip to quell rumors of a possible transfer of ownership at the club, fueled by rumors of interest from Matt Rizzetta, owner of Napoli Basket. De Laurentiis uses cinematic irony: "He's an extremely nice person, he almost seems like he belongs in one of my movies. He's nice, and that says it all." An elegant, yet definitive, way of clarifying that SSC Napoli is not for sale.