The star of TV series Gomorrah blasted “ridiculous” claims Corentin Tolisso turned down Napoli because of the show. “I almost convinced Zlatan Ibrahimovic to join!”
The star of TV series Gomorrah blasted “ridiculous” claims Corentin Tolisso turned down Napoli because of the show. “I almost convinced Zlatan Ibrahimovic to join!”
Napoli and Olympique Lyonnais had agreed basic terms for Tolisso last summer, but the midfielder rejected the transfer and his agent suggested “someone scared the lad by saying the city was a bit ‘like that.’ They talked about Gomorrah, which is also shown in France. They scared him and Gonalons by talking about violence.”
So actor Salvatore Esposito, who plays Genny Savastano on the hit TV series, hit back at these implications.
“That’s ridiculous,” he told Il Mattino newspaper. “I think it’s just an excuse to hide the real reasons for his refusal or the lack of an agreement with Napoli.
“I cannot believe that is a real motivation for not coming. It’s an issue of intelligence and culture. It’ll be the usual smokescreen to hide the real reasons.
“Gomorrah is very popular in France and when I visited Paris Saint-Germain last year, I almost convinced Ibrahimovic to come to Napoli, precisely because Zlatan is a big fan of the series and of my character.”
There is confirmation of this, as Esposito filmed himself in the PSG locker room joking with Ibrahimovic and Marco Verratti, suggesting the Swede would be perfect playing a member of the Eastern bloc organised crime rings.
“(Kevin Prince) Boateng and the French Napoli players, (Faouzi) Ghoulam and (Kalidou) Koulibaly are also passionate fans of the show. They even made me record a video saying hello to their family members as Genny.
“Besides all that, it’s not as if Tolisso and Gonalons come from cities or neighbourhoods in which there is no crime. Lyon isn’t exactly a Paradise. It’s a city with virtues, defects and problems with the law, just like many – including our Naples.
“Well it’s tough for them, it doesn’t seem as if Lyon are drowning in trophies. Instead my Napoli is spectacular, can still reach second place and experiencing football the way we do is the ultimate reward.”