Favasuli: "Naples is a starting point, thanks to Catanzaro. Young players need to be given opportunities."

From Serie B to the Champions League in just a few months. Costantino Favasuli is experiencing the impact of top-flight football without hiding his ambition. The Napoli and Under-21 Italy winger, currently playing in Tirrenia with the Azzurrini, spoke about the journey that led him to the Neapolitan jersey.

"I suddenly found myself in the Champions League. Last year I was in Serie B, but that's what football is all about. I've worked every day to improve, and I'm enjoying the results I've achieved through my hard work," Favasuli explained at the press conference. Then came the quote that captures his attitude: "Being in Naples is a dream, but for me it's just a starting point."

Catanzaro played a key role in his career, an experience the young winger considers crucial to his development. "My time with Catanzaro was very important, as was my experience with the Under-21s and the senior national team under Baldini," he emphasized.

The reference is to coach Silvio Baldini, who last June brought several young players into the senior national team. "The coach was very brave in deciding to bring us all into the senior national team in June. He would do anything for us, and that's our strength. He's an incredible man, as well as a great coach," said Favasuli.

The Italian winger then shared the journey with other young talents from Catanzaro, including Cissé and Liberali. "If I'm here, it's also thanks to Catanzaro. Cissé, Liberali, and I have had so many wonderful moments, and we'll carry them with us," he said.

Favasuli also welcomes the growing presence of young players in Italy's top league. "Many more young players are playing in Serie A, and this is good for Italian football. The young players are there and they're strong; they just need to be given opportunities," he observed.

Then his thoughts turn to Napoli and a start to the season marked by mixed results. The fixtures immediately put the Azzurri ahead of Inter, Como, and Arsenal, but Favasuli doesn't see an unbridgeable gap to the top teams. "We've had a difficult fixture against Inter, Como, and Arsenal, but the defeats need to be analyzed. We threw away three points against Inter, but I'm sure we're on par with the strongest teams."

Confidence remains high: "Our team is very strong, and we'll prove it." The break, according to the winger, will also allow the team to recover some players struggling with physical issues: "The longer break will help us recover all the injured players, and we have a lot of matches ahead of us."

Finally, a comment on Massimiliano Allegri, who has taken over the Italy bench and has already become a role model for the young player. "He's already given me so much. He's a winning coach and has a great mentality. I'll try to learn as much as I can."

Meanwhile, Favasuli is also focused on his adventure with the Under-21 team. Italy will remain in Tirrenia until September 30th, when they will depart for Yerevan. On October 1st, at 6:30 PM Italian time, the Azzurrini will face Armenia in the 2027 European Championship qualifiers. On October 5th, at 6:15 PM, they will face Poland at the Stadio Adriatico in Pescara, a match destined to be a crucial one in the group.