Napoli’s centenary was marked at the Giulio Onesti Olympic Training Centre with a Golden Collar award, but Aurelio De Laurentiis used the occasion to look beyond the anniversary celebrations and into the arguments that continue to surround Italian football’s institutions.
The Napoli president offered an emphatic defence of Giovanni Malagò ahead of the FIGC presidential election on 14 December. Asked whether Serie A clubs would again stand behind Malagò, De Laurentiis left little room for uncertainty, arguing that there should be no debate over his future.
“Of course,” he said when asked if the league would support him. “Not doing so would be a disastrous step backwards. And who would you put in his place?”
De Laurentiis described Malagò as an entrepreneur and contrasted that background with what he sees as an older political culture around the game. In his view, too many figures from politics have become involved in decisions despite having limited understanding of football. He also dismissed reports of tension with fellow Serie A presidents, calling them nonsense.
Malagò welcomes the backing
Malagò was present at the ceremony and received De Laurentiis’s words with a smile. He called the Napoli owner a friend, describing him as a warm and loyal supporter who can sometimes become an “ultra” in his enthusiasm.
He thanked De Laurentiis for the public backing, while stressing that the choice over any Serie A nomination belongs to the clubs themselves. An assembly is due to take place during the week, where those discussions will be held. Asked whether he expected continued support, Malagò laughed and suggested that he did.
Attention will now return to the pitch for Napoli, who face Villarreal away from home in the Champions League on the following day. De Laurentiis acknowledged that Villarreal, beaten by Real Madrid, may respond strongly in front of their own supporters, but said he retained faith in Napoli’s players.
He also reaffirmed his confidence in the coach, noting that he had deliberately avoided public judgments about a man with such a successful record. De Laurentiis pointed to the return to a three-man defensive line as a setup that appears to offer greater security, adding that Napoli had already beaten “a team with a capital S” in Frosinone without relying on a 4-3-3.
