Napoli striker Giovanni Simeone felt he would score against Liverpool and confirms he spoke to his father before the game: ‘We always do it, he said I could have done well.’
The Argentinean striker scored his first Champions League goal on his debut after replacing the injured Victor Osimhen in the first half of tonight’s game against Liverpool.
He celebrated by kissing a Champions League tattoo while in tears, fulfilling one of his childhood dreams.
Simeone had gotten the tattoo when he was barely 14 and told his mother and father he would have kissed it after his first goal in the tournament.
“I was 14, my dream has always been to play in the Champions League, 12 years later, I am here, I got this tattoo because I dreamed of being here, scoring and kissing this ball. It was moving. I’ve always dreamed about this moment, there aren’t many things to say. I’ve fought hard to be here and here I am,” he told Amazon Prime Video Italia.
The Partenopei dominated the Reds and eventually won 4-1. Simeone was responsible for the third one, just a minute before the break.
“I knew it, I was ready, I’ve always wanted to be here, have at least one chance in the Champions League. I had it, luckily I didn’t miss it, now we must think about this amazing night. We played a great game together. It was thrilling. To win against such a tough team means a lot.”
Simeone, the son of Atletico Madrid coach Diego, had spoken on the phone to his father before the match.
“Usually, we talk before each game, he had told me that I could have done well if I had been involved and it happened,” the striker said.
“We talk before every game, just two minutes before every match, we always do it and we’ll continue to do it.”
Simeone was visibly moved and had to fight back the tears a couple of times during his interview.
“There is nothing else to say, it was thrilling to hear the fans shouting my name, these fans make us feel we can do something more and we did it. I fought hard to get here, many people didn’t believe in me and I must thank them too.”