Napoli sensation Kvicha Kvaratskhelia reveals what got him ‘pumped up’ against Liverpool in the Champions League and why Steph Curry inspired his goal celebration.
The 21-year-old Georgia international has been an absolute sensation in his debut season, contributing eight goals and 10 assists in just 17 competitive games between Serie A and the Champions League.
“The fans give me such encouragement and support. I feel so much love that I have to do everything I can to repay them on the field,” Kvaradona told Crocobet.
“They live for football in Naples, it doesn’t matter their age, everyone knows about the sport. They even sing during the half-time break and you can hear them from the locker room. You have no excuse to not give your all as a player.”
He has been impressed with the work of coach Luciano Spalletti, who is a “very positive person who taught me a great deal already.”
With Napoli running away at the top of the Serie A table going into the break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, they seem to be the undoubted Scudetto favourites.
Few would’ve thought it before the campaign kicked off and Kvaratskhelia sees some parallels with basketball, which he explains in his goal celebration.
“That sleeping motion is typical of Steph Curry, because people thought his team had no chance of winning the title and made this gesture to suggest he was dreaming. When he finally got the decisive points, he probably wanted to tell the critics to shut up and go to sleep.
“His team won and I thought that I too could use this gesture.”
Napoli aren’t just impressing in Serie A, but also topped their Champions League group with five wins out of six games.
“When I listened to the theme tune as a kid, I never thought I would experience it live on the pitch. My first dream was to play in the Champions League, as hearing that anthem pumps you up like nothing else. I felt it so strongly in that first game against Liverpool and I think it really helped.”
Napoli won that match 4-1 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on September 7, with Kvaratskhelia running rings around the Liverpool defenders.
“After every game, my first thought is that I didn’t do enough, that I am missing something. I have achieved nothing yet, there’s a long road ahead of me and I want to make the fans happy while realising my dreams.”