If Gonzalo Higuaín had any doubts about what lies in wait for him in Naples, the banner that appeared on the Ponte Maddalena Cerasuolo in northern Naples on Thursday morning would have swept them away. First, the banner accused him of being an “actor,” and then a “slave to the system.” The real venom, though, was in the final three words: “Marcio sporco traditore.”

For three years, Napoli’s fans had adored Higuaín. He scored 91 goals in 146 games for the club — including a record-breaking 36 last season — transforming the team into one of Italy’s powerhouses and firing dreams of a first Serie A title since the days when Diego Maradona graced San Paolo, Napoli’s raucous, run-down home.

When he returns for the first time this weekend, he will find all that counts for nothing. He will not be treated as a lamented hero, not even as a prodigal son. There will be no rose petals or reveries, only bile and spite. In Naples, as that banner on the bridge made clear, Higuaín is now nothing more than a “rotten dirty traitor.”