Napoli midfielder Diego Demme has ‘settled immediately’ in Campania and spoke about the big game against Barcelona in the Champions League, the Coppa Italia triumph and believes Ralf Rangnick will bring results to Milan.
The German midfielder arrived in January and has quickly established himself in the middle of the park at the San Paolo.
The 28-year-old named after Napoli legend Diego Maradona, looks forward to continuing the impressive run that already secured his first trophy, as the Azzurri picked up the Coppa Italia in June.
Napoli midfielder Diego Demme has ‘settled immediately’ in Campania and spoke about the big game against Barcelona in the Champions League, the Coppa Italia triumph and believes Ralf Rangnick will bring results to Milan.
The German midfielder arrived in January and has quickly established himself in the middle of the park at the San Paolo.
The 28-year-old named after Napoli legend Diego Maradona, looks forward to continuing the impressive run that already secured his first trophy, as the Azzurri picked up the Coppa Italia in June.
“I feel good, I immediately settled in the city and with the team, bar the quarantine period which was a bit tiring, as for everyone,” he told Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli. “We are playing excellent football, expressing our best. We hope to continue like this.”
The Partenopei face Barcelona at Camp Nou in August, after having held the Blaugrana to a 1-1 draw in Naples ahead of the interruption.
“In the first leg we showed that we can live up to Barcelona. Everything is possible against any opponent, even if Barca are a team that need no introduction.”
Demme has claimed Gennaro Gattuso gave him a great impression from the first moment he met the former midfielder.
“I was here last December, with a friend and my wife, to visit the city and not for football. In my first meeting with Gattuso, I felt very good and I still feel good.”
The next match is against the coach’s former club Milan, a direct rival fighting for a place in Europe.
“They’re a team I know well. Napoli are performing better at the moment. We will certainly try to play an excellent game to bring home the three points.”
Milan look set to appoint Ralf Rangnick in a manager role ahead of next season and the former RB Leipzig player claims his former coach can improve Milan.
“He would bring a lot of new things. He’s a perfectionist, he always tries to get the best out of all his players. He’s convinced that if you can perfect every part of your daily life, the best result will come.
“At Leipzig he brought great results and could do the same at Milan too.”
Napoli picked up the Coppa Italia after beating Juventus on penalties in June, but Demme doesn’t want to think about challenging the Old Lady for the title next year.
“At the moment I’m happy with what we did in the Coppa Italia. In my opinion, we have a great path ahead in the League and the Champions League.
“There are all the credentials to start well next season, but to talk about the Scudetto would be premature.”
The German signed a four-and-a-half-year contract when he arrived last winter and loves life in Italy, where his daughter is now born.
“The quality of life in Naples, with the sea and all the fantastic places that are there, with the food on offer, it has no comparison.
“The icing on the cake is the fact that when you win, people take you to the stars, there’s a lot of passion.
“For the passport, it’s better to be born in Naples than in a small city of Germany.”