Di Natale: 'I avoided Napoli'

By Football Italia staff

Antonio Di Natale reveals why he tried to avoid Napoli and calls Lorenzo Insigne “my heir” on the calcio scene.

“I had a rest after 21 years of football, now I can go watch some young players starting out,” the Udinese legend told Radio Crc.

“Naturally I miss the turf, but I needed to rest. I have no regrets. Maybe I could’ve won more elsewhere, but my family was happy in Udine.

“Why did I never play for Napoli? I am Neapolitan and I love Naples, but for me wearing that jersey would’ve been too big a weight and I was afraid of not being able to do well.

“I remain a big fan of Napoli. I also keep an eye out for Empoli and Udinese, so I have three teams in my heart.”

Di Natale only faced the Partenopei 14 times in his career, as he was often injured or suspended for those fixtures.

“Scoring against the Azzurri was like scoring against my brother, so it was best to avoid it,” he laughed.

“Napoli are close to the Juventus level, but the important thing is to keep everyone, including Maurizio Sarri, to then add some important players to the group. They are a wonderful side to watch.

“Next season I’ll ask Sarri if I can attend a few training sessions, because I’d like to work with young players. There’s no guarantee a good player will become a good Coach, so I want to figure out if I’ve got what it takes.

“I think Insigne is my heir, he just needs to score goals more consistently. He’s a great player and I think if Giampiero Ventura gives him a chance, he’ll do well with Italy too.”

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