In an interview published in today’s Corriere dello Sport, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis discussed his club’s Coppa Italia win over Juventus on Wednesday night, the fourth trophy of his tenure, while praising Gennaro Gattuso for the changes he has brought to the club.
“This comes after a very painful time for the whole of humanity, the South [of Italy] included, and it represents a step towards normality. It feels like a reopening, like a curtain-raiser. Or better, like a new dawn, it’s as if the sun was coming out again.”
“We already met [with Gattuso] before the game, we spoke as usual – we don’t have any problems bringing our ideas together. We got on straight away, he’s had an immediate effect on the squad, which for me is very strong. This isn’t the first time I’m saying it, nor am I the only one saying it – what we’ve shown in the pitch proves it. We have been the anti-Juventus these past few years, for what we won and for what we put on the line to win.”
“[Gattuso’s] authority got him into the guys’ heads. There was an empathy straight away, between me and him and between him and the players. I recognise that I got it right and, with modesty, I have always had a flair when choosing managers.”
