Former Napoli star Edinson Cavani reveals he ‘smiled and hugged’ Gennaro Gattuso when they reunited at Valencia and admits he, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo have ‘different priorities.’
The Uruguay international joined La Liga side Valencia as a free agent this summer, reuniting with Italian coach Gattuso who he had met on the pitch several times in Serie A.
“When I saw him the first time, my reaction was to smile thinking about the many clashes on the pitch,” the 35-year-old told Gazzetta.
“Suddenly, we found ourselves in his office at Paterna’s Ciudad Deportiva. We hugged each other, it was nice. There is mutual respect. Valencia made a great choice. Gattuso says things to your face, he had an amazing career and has kept his essential nature. He has a lot to teach this team, made of many young players.”
Cavani’s former club Napoli are the current table leaders in Serie A and the Valencia star hopes the Partenopei will win the Scudetto this term.
“It’s a piece of my heart for many reasons. My first two sons, Bautista and Lucas live in Naples, they are 11 and 9, they play football and of course, they support Napoli.
“The club has a special place in my heart, those three years were the starting point of my career that continued at PSG and Manchester United. I am a private person, but the affection I received in Naples moved something inside me,” he continued.
“I felt I had to repay that in some ways, and that’s why the victory in Coppa Italia against a great Juventus side was something magical and unforgettable. Perhaps, it wasn’t a great trophy, but we won it after an exciting path we took with the city and fans and to share it with them was a great joy.
“I follow them with attention and participation, they have one more fan here in Valencia, I don’t know if they can win the title, but I hope so, I think there are all the necessary conditions.
“They have an organised club that knows how to move on the market, a great coach, interesting players and the same passion from fans. January will be crucial.”
Cavani played with some of the best players in the world, including Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo and was asked what he learned by sharing the dressing room with them.
“I’ve always analysed my teammates in-depth, coming to the conclusion that often the most famous player or the most recognisable stands out more than their teammates because they need to do so,” he said.
“Everyone has his own way of being, there are players who do something I have a total rejection for. I’ve seen things that have made me improve, making me understand that I have different priorities in life, far from social networks.
“That being said, I’ve always been a professional and in those teammates, I saw things that made me think ‘this is the example to follow.’ A behaviour and a mentality useful for every human being, not just for a player who wants to be at certain levels.”
Palermo and Napoli were Cavani’s first teams in Europe. He moved to Sicily from Danubio in 2005, scoring 37 goals in 117 appearances with the Rosanero.
He joined Napoli for €17m in 2010 and went on to score 104 goals in 138 games with the Partenopei before a €66m move to PSG.
This season, he has bagged four goals in seven matches for Valencia, where his contract expires in June 2024.