ADL: ‘Most Napoli fans back me’

By Football Italia staff

Aurelio De Laurentiis plays down his differences with fans - “there are 40 million Napoli fans, do you want to see how many are on my side?”

The patron rescued the Partenopei from bankruptcy and took them back to Serie A, and is now looking to do the same with Bari.

Today was the official presentation of the new board, of which son Luigi De Laurentiis will be President, and the owner took the time to discuss the reaction of Napoli fans to his second purchase.

“You’re looking at it in a bit of a provincial manner, watching football at the stadium,” De Laurentiis said.

“There might be banners there, but there are 40 million Napoli fans, do you want to do an investigation and see how many are on my side?

“I’ve criticised some of the people who stand in the Curva, that means 2-300 people on one side and another 2-300 on the other side.

“Then there are some improper journalists, who I will denounce, who said that my son had contacted [Edinson] Cavani. Well, look, my son is here.

“When I got to Dimaro [for the pre-season training camp] I heard so many lies, so I went on the official radio station to do ‘true or false?’.

“After a few days people went back to writing - more or less - the truth.”

De Laurentiis has been critical of the Stadio San Paolo, and indeed is in open dispute with the Naples city council, but has taken control of Bari’s stadium.

“The San Nicola is worth 100 times the San Paolo. It was nice to come to this Press room, it’d be better if we had it…

“This morning, when I arrived, I thought: ‘I wish we had a mayor like [Antonio] Decaro.”

The new owner also explained his plans for Bari, with Giovanni Cornacchini to be the new Coach.

“We respect the rules and the decisions, even if they’re being made by an FIGC in chaos. We chose a Serie C Coach who is willing to go down to D. Bari and Napoli will be different realities with the same mother, Filmauro.

“Season tickets? It’ll obviously take time, at least 10 days, but we hope to start between August 31 and September 1.

“The prices that I wanted to establish, whether in Serie C or D, will remain unchanged. It’s our gift to the city, a symbol of the journey we want to go on together.

“I won’t make any distinctions between men, women and children. I’ve made a single price for the Curve, and for the east and west stands.

“The Curva Nord and Sud will be €90, the east stand €120, west stand €150 and the prime seats €250, with parking at €3.”

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