Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis insists “we didn’t fail” after Juventus won the Scudetto.
The Partenopei were leading Serie A until defeat to the Bianconeri in February, and the Turin giants never relinquished their lead as Maurizio Sarri’s side stumbled.
“If we analyse the first part of the season where we were first, in the second part we took the same number of points,” De Laurentiis said on Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli.
Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis insists “we didn’t fail” after Juventus won the Scudetto.
The Partenopei were leading Serie A until defeat to the Bianconeri in February, and the Turin giants never relinquished their lead as Maurizio Sarri’s side stumbled.
“If we analyse the first part of the season where we were first, in the second part we took the same number of points,” De Laurentiis said on Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli.
“So we didn’t fail, but others [Juventus] made a comeback with extraordinary growth. I’m extremely satisfied, but you can’t please everyone.
“But, my mum also said ‘you’re never happy’, and I think the new generation is like that. I’ll never settle, and I think the fans see it that way too.
“They [the fans] are extraordinary, we work for you, we have to be united in these last two weeks and make our presence felt.
“Next season? There’s a lot to do, let’s see how the season ends.”
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is in Naples this week, and De Laurentiis urges both state and local government to work to improve Stadio San Paolo.
“We have to restart the South, it’s not true that in Naples you can’t work. They say that nothing has been done for the South.
“Now Renzi has to find legislative opportunities to fiscally help the South. We could make a sports centre at Bagnoli for Napoli youth, and we’re in discussions with the Lega to introduce second teams in place of the Primavera, with a maximum age of 23.
“We could make a club with all affiliations, 35,000 kids. It wouldn’t just be a symbolic thing, sport is constructive.
“The work on San Paolo? [Mayor Luigi] De Magistris is a good person, he wants to do it but I don’t think anything will have started by October 1.
“It’s no coincidence that the construction sites won’t open immediately after the season. I’ve asked him to do things, I’m fast, innovative, but I think we’ll have to be ashamed when [Karl-Heinz] Rummenigge comes to visit us.
“In these situations Renzi should choose three managers for the major cities, that wouldn’t diminish the mayor, but they’d have the power to operate beyond various constraints.
“We have to make up for lost time, but beyond names and games nobody can do anything for the city.”