![]() New England coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink joins up with Three Lions squad for March internationals Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg calls on Antonio Conte to 'elaborate' after the Spurs boss accused his players of lacking professionalism in THAT extraordinary rantīrentford star Ivan Toney's potential England debut will land League One Peterborough United a £1MILLION windfall Tottenham prepare for talks with Antonio Conte over his exit with the Italian due £4m in compensation - as Ryan Mason takes training IAN HERBERT: Roy Hodgson will bring a touch of class - lost amid the controversies and egos of the modern managerial game - back to the Premier League Diego Maradona's restless spirit is a recipe for conflict and confrontation OLIVER HOLT: Naples is aflame with passion and fervour. Premier League stars are being encouraged to TONE DOWN goal celebrations because VAR could intervene seconds later ![]() and Spurs need a new boss! What EVERY club needs in international breakĭ-DAY for Manchester United: Glazers are expecting to receive world record bids of more than £5BILLION ahead of Wednesday's 9pm deadline But perhaps there will be a few changes to the lyrics.Īrsenal must mentally prepare for a title race, United can't take top four for granted. Thirty years from now, they will still be gathering in bars, still be singing about Napoli, about the boys in blue. The crowd exploded as Spezia’s goals went in, and when the final whistle blew, they launched into a song.ĭo you know why my heart is beating so hard? I have seen Maradona. Some 24 hours earlier, fans had gathered at a bar in the city’s trendy Spanish quarter to watch Inter Milan’s 2-1 defeat by Spezia - a result that gave Napoli the chance to extend their lead at the top. But no matter, the home supporters were already toasting Serie A’s ‘campionista’ in waiting. Napoli’s second was more agricultural, a looping Amir Rrahmani header from a corner that the Atalanta goalkeeper, Juan Musso, ought to have saved. He received the ball on the left, took a couple of touches to set himself, jinked inside, then out, then back in again, sent three defenders on to their haunches and unleashed an unstoppable shot. ![]() Supporters launched into a Maradona song after the full time whistle against Atalanta But after emerging from the bowels of the amphitheatre that is the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona for the second half, Kvaradona decided to give his baying public what they were after. ![]() It is, Fischetti explains, ‘more than a sporting success, a rare victory for the south over the north and a place that eats, sleeps and breathes football’.Īgainst Atalanta, Spalletti’s side started with caution though Kim’s dominance in the air and Kvaratskhelia’s elegance on the ball still shone through. This will not just be Napoli’s first league win since 1990, but the first for any team south of Rome. This is a working-class city in a region which has long been looked down upon by their more affluent ‘friends’ in the north. He would have appreciated the quality in this Napoli side, led by Kvaratskhelia.’ They play a very attractive brand of football. ‘Maradona would have loved watching this team play. Their replacements play with a beautiful freedom. It was as if the likes of Koulibaly, Mertens and Insigne took the burden of expectation with them. ‘Not just in terms of results, but also the style of play. ‘This team is giving fans joy,’ says Joseph Fischetti, host of the Forza Napoli podcast. When he is not scoring himself, he is setting up Victor Osimhen, the Nigerian striker who is leading the Golden Boot race with 19 goals in 22 games. He has done that and much, much more - his balletic dribbling and beguiling technique have earned him a nickname, Kvaradona, that is the highest possible praise in these parts. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, 22, was plucked from Georgian side Dinamo Batumi to replace some of the creativity lost with the exit of club stalwarts Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens. Kim Min-jae was poached from Fenerbahce to replace Kalidou Koulibaly and has been a rock at the heart of defence. Diego Maradona would have loved to watch Napoli's attractive style of play this seasonīut since the sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli worked his magic in the transfer window last year, that charge has been relentless.
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