Aurelio De Laurentiis was evasive when asked about the ongoing investigation into Juventus and commented on the unsustainability of modern football.
The Bianconeri have been accused of secretly agreeing to pay players salaries despite publicly stating that four months’ worth of wages had been waived during the early stages of the COVID pandemic in 2020. Andrea Agnelli and the entire Juventus board of directors unexpectedly resigned last week and the club are now in a difficult position.
Speaking to reporters at the presentation of the FIGC Sports Justice Code, De Laurentiis first discussed the difficulties of modern life and lack of government help with football clubs.
“The government have always been absent, although our tax revenues are very important. Once there were slaves, but do you think there are no more? We are all still slaves.
“Slaves to an unpleasant situation. In the home, in the office, in ordinary life, in not being fantastically protected, in not being happy pensioners. Many people are suffering, they cannot make ends meet and this is a story that has worsened but has always existed.
“What is the panacea to keep everyone calm and quiet? Football. The state is not stupid and it knows it, but it ignores it. It is not stupid.
“Otherwise it would have to make the laws on the modernisation of football happen in five minutes because it takes five minutes to change football, as it’s sick everywhere. The accounts don’t add up.”
The Napoli president did not want to discuss the Juventus situation.
“I’m not talking about it. The magistrates will take care of it, it’s not my job. I’m sorry that football, but it’s not just an Italian problem, is not always the bearer of the values that should be an example for the new generations.”
He was asked if there could be a ‘new Calciopoli’.
“It’s not up to me, I repeat, to establish that.”
De Laurentiis spoke about if he was afraid of a major scandal in Italian football like that.
“I have already said that football is sick from above. People don’t want to understand that there are not enough resources to go on with this type of league and they don’t want the Copernican revolution because then you have to be re-elected…
“This is a problem for all those who are then subject to re-election, whether in the world of politics, industry, trade unions or sport. In the world of sport, unfortunately, surveillance is latent and the will to change and create dislikes is difficult to find.”
He commented on what he expects from Napoli this season.
“Guys when we want to talk about Napoli we will talk about them, now let them train in Turkey. They are on the sea happy, content and satisfied.”
The Partenopei president spoke about former club captain Marek Hamsik.
“Hamsik is a talisman of Napoli and represents my Neapolitan history, I have been with Napoli for 18 years and he has been an exemplary captain and a formidable person. If only there were more like him…”
Finally, De Laurentiis was asked if the Super League could be the solution for modern football’s problems.
“You guys have to do me a favour. Go on Netflix and watch the four episodes on FIFA, that way for your questions you will also have answers.”