During his inaugural press conference as the new Juventus manager, Luciano Spalletti was immediately confronted with the issue of the famous tattoo commemorating his Scudetto victory with Napoli. The permanent mark on his armโfeaturing the Napoli crest and the number 3โhas been a major point of contention and scrutiny for both Juve and Napoli fans.
Spalletti, however, used a clever anecdote to address the situation directly while assuring his complete focus on the Bianconeri. He humorously relayed a detail from his medical checks that morning, stating (via Corriere dello Sport):
โThis morning, during the medical visits, I had blood drawn and I asked the nurse to do it from the other arm because I didnโt want anything to be taken away or touched from that side.โ
This lighthearted remark served as his way of symbolically stating that his commitment to Juventus is total, yet it does not require him to erase his past.
Furthermore, Spalletti took the time to reflect on his emotional connection to the city he just left, assuring that his new professional path does not diminish the deep bond he forged in Campania. He emphasized that the relationship is โindestructibleโ and that the shared history of winning the league title will remain untouched:
โIn Naples, something superior came out because of the football we expressed and the Scudetto we won, something beautiful that will never change. I established a beautiful relationship with those people and that city. Everything will remain intact on my part. I will return to Naples and that place will always remain in my heart, regardless of the professional choices I have made.โ
Spallettiโs comprehensive comments were an attempt to navigate the highly sensitive nature of moving between two major Italian rivals, seeking to maintain the respect earned in Naples while wholeheartedly embracing his role in Turin. He stressed that his current commitment is to the future of the Bianconeri, without dishonoring the past success he achieved elsewhere.
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Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN
