Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis has hit back at Gonzalo Higuain, accusing the forward of ‘lacking respect for Naples.’
The striker blasted the Partenopei chief at a Press conference on Thursday, where he was unveiled as a Juventus player following a €90m move.
As well as claiming De Laurentiis was one of the main reasons he left San Paolo, the 28-year-old added that he ‘could not spend another minute’ with the film producer.
Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis has hit back at Gonzalo Higuain, accusing the forward of ‘lacking respect for Naples.’
The striker blasted the Partenopei chief at a Press conference on Thursday, where he was unveiled as a Juventus player following a €90m move.
As well as claiming De Laurentiis was one of the main reasons he left San Paolo, the 28-year-old added that he ‘could not spend another minute’ with the film producer.
De Laurentiis issued a lengthy response to Higuain’s claims on Friday, in which he accused the Argentine of being either a ‘false person or great actor.’
“I have read Gonzalo Higuain’s quotes at the Juventus Press conference and I want to focus on the part where he states that I was the reason he decided to join them,” begain De Laurentiis.
“If Mr Higuain was so annoyed by being in my presence, he took many years to figure it out, unless he is a false person or a great actor. I would exclude the latter possibility, I understand actors.
“We spent a lot of time together, even recently. I can assure you that Gonzalo was very calm and showed no sign of intolerance of me, as the people who were with us could testify.
“How is it that his agent didn’t show any sign of impatience towards me when we met last year to discuss the renewal of his contract? If they were so intolerant of my presence, they would not have spent hours discussing money, lots of money, with great interest.
“Does his agent not have any shame when he says that the team he [Higuain] played in, that gave him the service to score 38 goals, wasn’t good enough?
“Trying to explain his departure by blaming me is disrespecting the people of Naples. You can betray these people if you have no shame."
De Laurentiis then finished his statement by using some choice language, which can be roughly equated to ordering Higuain not to take any liberties.