Giacomo Raspadori reveals he had extra motivation to get the winner for Napoli against Union Berlin. ‘It is a dream to score where Italy won the World Cup.’
The striker was in the right place at the right time to meet the Kvicha Kvaratskhelia pull-back and sweep into the net at the near post from six yards.
It proved the only goal of the match in this Champions League clash, which was played at the Olympiastadion because Union Berlin’s stadium is not up to code for this tournament.
“It was a game where we were not as sharp as usual, these are tough games, but it was fundamental to bring home the three points,” Raspadori told Mediaset and Sky Sport Italia.
“It was not the best performance, but the important thing was to win, especially away from home.”
This was the stadium where Italy beat France on penalties to win the 2006 World Cup, so during the pitch inspection Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Pierluigi Gollini jokingly recreated the Zinedine Zidane headbutt on Marco Materazzi.
“For us Italians, this is a very special place,” added Raspadori.
“I was six years old when I watched that Final, so to be in this stadium is exciting and to score here is a dream come true.”
Raspadori is now 23 and has already won some silverware in the Azzurri jersey himself, as he was part of the squad that lifted the EURO 2020 trophy at Wembley Stadium.