Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis admits Antonio Conte was ‘upset’ on the sale of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, however ‘I couldn’t give the satisfaction’ of letting the participant go as a free agent.
The opening Champions League journey to Manchester Metropolis kicks off on the Etihad Metropolis of Manchester Stadium at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).
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The Hollywood film producer mixed his two careers by making a documentary movie of the Scudetto-winning season, which shall be in Italian cinemas from September 24.
“We filmed hours and hours of interviews because the season went on, as a result of we needed to doc every little thing and guarantee we might share these feelings that the Napoli followers had been feeling,”
Napoli are again within the Champions League, having solely centered on Serie A final season, and start the event in its
“Sadly, the brand new Champions League is not going to enable us to host Manchester Metropolis, we did it with Mazzarri and portentously gained there, sending Mancini residence, whereas it didn’t go as nicely with Sarri.
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“We hope to have an amazing efficiency tonight to honour the shirt. It is usually the primary time on this new format of the Champions League, so let’s play with nice emotion and passion, let’s hope, but in addition not despair if one thing optimistic doesn’t occur.
“Hope springs everlasting, the Champions League is an extended event, I’ve nice religion in Antonio Conte’s capabilities and the power of the squad at his disposal.”
De Laurentiis on tough relationship with Conte
NAPLES, ITALY – JUNE 26: Antonio Conte new SSC Napoli head coach and Aurelio De Laurentiis SSC Napoli president throughout SSC Napoli new supervisor unveiling on June 26, 2024 in Naples, Italy. (Photograph by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Photos)
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De Laurentiis was requested about his at instances fractious rapport with coach Conte, which appeared to be on the verge of a cut up straight after the Scudetto success. What satisfied him to remain on?
“It was essential that Antonio absorbed, not like maybe his earlier experiences, the eagerness that runs right through each avenue in Naples. Whereas Naples was the true European Capital within the sixteenth Century, I can let you know as we speak that I’ve homes in Rome and Los Angeles, I really feel like a unique individual in Naples. Wherever you look, there’s magnificence, and I discover it essentially the most sensational metropolis in Italy.
“I consider this had a robust impact on Antonio.”
PARIS, FRANCE – SEPTEMBER 17: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of Paris Saint-Germain celebrates scoring his workforce’s second objective throughout the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Section MD1 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Atalanta BC at Parc des Princes on September 17, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photograph by Franco Arland/Getty Photos)
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De Laurentiis additionally hinted on the row in January over promoting Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint-Germain, as he was not successfully changed.
“We additionally had that success that he deserved, as a result of with all of the setbacks we had, he was capable of reshuffle the playing cards. He would possibly’ve been upset at dropping Kvara, however I couldn’t threat dropping the participant as a free agent. I couldn’t give that satisfaction to the participant, his agent, and father, so we needed to promote in January.
“San Gennaro then had his affect too, and along with his assist we had been capable of carry residence that fantastic victory,” added the President.
De Laurentiis is engaged on the development of a brand new coaching centre and desires to construct a brand new stadium to switch the Stadio Maradona.
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“Probably the most highly effective soccer on this planet is English and Saudi Arabian, the remainder of the world is struggling to make the income develop in Italy, France, Germany and Spain. They had been extraordinary in England in deciding the primary workforce promoted will get a minimal €100m in tv rights, so if we had been to do this in different European leagues, the extent of funding can be very totally different. It at all times comes again all the way down to cash.”