Napoli have never made it to the Champions League quarter-finals but they are unbeaten in 18 games and are led by one of the best midfielders in Europe

Bologna’s Twitter account raised the social media equivalent of the white flag last weekend. “OK, come on now, we’ve had enough,” they pleaded. “Hamsik with a screamer for his hat-trick. You can take him off now.” Bologna and their fans were the only ones who had seen enough, though; the rest of us could have watched Marek Hamsik play all evening. And we’d still have watched the highlights the next day, too.

The Napoli captain’s hat-trick – part of a 7-1 demolition in which Dries Mertens also scored three – was a joy to behold. Though the second and third goals were true show-stoppers, his header to open the scoring was my pick of the bunch. The precision, technique and timing with which he despatched José Callejón’s cross was simply superb.

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As well as providing some snappy tweets for Bologna’s social media team, the Slovakian’s hat-trick took him to within six goals of Diego Maradona’s club record of 115 goals for Napoli. Though it would be pointless to compare anybody to Maradona, Hamsik’s emphatic performance was talismanic, and we all know how much Napoli fans love an icon. With his turbo-charged Mohican and extensive body art, Hamsik could be a comic book football hero – and his performance in Bologna was certainly of the Roy Race mould.

Hamsik, who joined Napoli from Brescia in 2007, has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists so far this season. Despite not being blessed with electric pace, he has a terrific knack of arriving in the 18-yard box at just the right moment. Perhaps his most important goal for the club came in the 2012 Coppa Italia final, an explosive match against bitter rivals Juventus, which Napoli won 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico. His delicate, clipped finish rounded off a typically fluid Napoli counter-attack and gave the club its first silverware since Maradona led them to the Serie A title in 1990.

Hamsik’s relationship with the Napoli supporters, cultivated over the last decade, goes some way to explaining his great loyalty to the club. But he has also faced tough times in the city. He has twice been robbed of watches at gunpoint and his wife, who was pregnant at the time, had her car stolen at gunpoint in 2011. Despite these troubles, and interest from clubs including Milan, he has stayed faithful to the Partenopei.

His situation at Napoli is similar to that of Daniele De Rossi at Roma, even if De Rossi is a born-and-bred Roman. Though Coppa Italia triumphs have been the extent of both players’ success, they have both turned down moves that would have led to more honours – out of loyalty to their club and its supporters.

These players must be cherished. To the supporters of Napoli and Roma, having players such as Hamsik, and local boys Lorenzo Insigne, De Rossi and Francesco Totti, is like having part of themselves on the park fighting too. In Italian football they are called bandiere, flagbearers, and are respected for putting their relationships with clubs and fans before their desire to acquire medals and cash.

Although much loved by Napoli fans and supporters across Italy, Hamsik is not always recognised as one of Europe’s finest central midfielders, yet few players combine his workrate, dynamism, impeccable timing and eye for goal. Perhaps this is because Napoli have only reached the group stage of the Champions League in three of his 10 seasons at the club, and have never gone further than the last-16 stage.

They have a chance to go one better this season, but it will not be easy. Hamsik scored two goals as they topped their group with 11 points, their only reward a trip to Madrid to face the holders. Napoli are clearly the underdogs but they will take a lot of confidence from their recent performances. Maurizio Sarri brought in Arkadiusz Milik from Ajax last summer to replace Gonzalo Higuaín, who left for Juventus, but Milik’s cruciate ligament injury meant that Sarri had to rearrange his team. He has gone with the diminutive front three of Insigne, Callejón and Mertens, ably supported by Hamsik, and, despite some early scepticism, the system has been a terrific success.

Napoli have played some breathtaking football this season. In their 2-1 victory against Milan at the San Siro in January, Mertens’ reverse crossfield pass to set up Insigne’s opening goal was described as “scandalous” by one commentator. The Belgian was at it again on Friday, with some audacious displays of skill in the 2-0 victory over Genoa.

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The key for Napoli will be to make sure the tie is still alive after the first leg in Madrid. A strong performance at the Bernabéu – an away goal would be a big help – will set up a fascinating return leg at the San Paolo on 7 March. Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Chelsea all know how daunting an arena it can be when the going gets tough.

They face a massive task, but the two legs will give Napoli and their captain the perfect platform to show the rest of Europe just how good they are. And if Sarri’s team perform, perhaps Magical Marek will finally be given the credit he deserves. One thing is for sure: it won’t be boring.

• This blog first appeared on The Gentleman Ultra

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