Luciano Spalletti admits he hadn’t quite realised how ‘tough’ it would be to leave Napoli, but he remains convinced it’s the right decision after winning the Scudetto. ‘I feel I’ve given all I had.’
The final match with Sampdoria kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday at 17.30 UK time (16.30 GMT).
After that, the players and coach will receive their winner’s medals and captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo lift the Serie A trophy, the club’s first title in 33 years.
It has already been confirmed that Spalletti wants to leave this summer to take a sabbatical, despite the club activating an extension option on his contract.
“I thank everyone I met in these two unforgettable years, a group of extraordinary players, a city with fans all over the world and all the children who hugged me and showed the future of the Azzurri,” said Spalletti in his press conference.
“I thank the youth team, the staff, the medics, physios, President and the whole club.”
The rapport between Spalletti and President De Laurentiis has turned frosty lately and the coach did his best to assure everyone it was his decision.
“There’s this atmosphere of it’s him or you, but I don’t want this division. It was a triumph and it’s right to embrace each other, to annul this danger. If I am asked for advice, I will gladly give it, but I couldn’t give advice in general to those who will follow or on who ought to follow.”
However, later in the press conference, the tactician went back on what caused that tension.
“After the Scudetto victory, the President said to everyone things that I would’ve preferred he say directly to me first. Once we met up, we cleared the air in 15 minutes. I am not someone who changes idea easily and I decided to leave because I feel that I’ve given all I had.
“I no longer have the energy to be up to the standard of what people love so much, so I have to take two steps back and leave. I left that dinner with the President saying Napoli will have a great future.”
Despite winning the Scudetto with five rounds to spare, Spalletti was still unable to match the Serie A points record set by Maurizio Sarri, who only finished second.
“When I realised we could bring home something incredible, I told the team we would see a city explode with joy and now I realise I was talking about something I couldn’t even imagine. Naples has to be experienced and not imagined.
“We amassed many points, created a big gap at the top, have the best attack, the best defence, so it’s tough for even the most critical to say we only won because the others failed.
“A strong mentality is decisive and even in training today I saw them put in that enthusiasm and tempo. This is why I know this team will have a great future. It takes time to forge a winning group and we did it very quickly.”
When asked why he was leaving, Spalletti explained he simply couldn’t top this campaign.
“I don’t think I am capable of giving the joy these fans deserve. The most difficult moment will be the embrace with the players. I realised over the last few days just how tough this decision was. I am leaving a squad that is strong in every respect, that has the foundations to build more. The love that surrounds me gives me the strength to continue accepting this decision.
“I like the idea of becoming an honorary citizen of Naples, of returning here 10 years on and still being considered a friend to many.”