«A goal to Pelè»- Corriere.it

Antonio Careca is a piece of history for Napoli, the center forward of the best years, of the second Scudetto, of the UEFA Cup, the one who accompanied the magic of Maradona with goals. Careca is in Naples for the television production «Legends», he also followed the match against Roma in the stadium and was therefore carried away by the emotions of the ride of Spalletti’s men. From Osimhen’s goals to Kvara’s plays, from Spalletti’s hand to the atmosphere in Spalletti’s sports center up to the talks with De Laurentiis between the past and the present.

Let’s start with Osimhen’s goal, is it a play against Careca?

«No, to Pelè, many are telling me at Careca, I say that he did just like him (the reference is to the goal in the 1958 final against Sweden). He did like him, he blocked the chest, then the thigh and then shot on goal in a very narrow space. Victor is tall, having coordination like that wasn’t easy and he impressed me. I’ve seen him live, when you see him in the stadium it impresses you. He can grow further, he has a lot of quality and he is a player who will make De Laurentiis rich thanks to the offers that will arrive ».

Would you like to play with him?

«He’s the player who impressed me the most, technically he’s not a phenomenon, but he knows how to do his job, which is to score goals. He scares defenders, he is tireless and moves everywhere. He impressed me a lot, maybe a trident with him in the center, Diego and I on the sides, playing with feet reversed as they say today. Obviously Napoli is not Osimhen: Kvaratskhelia has the play of the South Americans, he already knows what to do before the ball arrives. It seemed that in the summer Meret would have to leave and, instead, he made important saves. I really like Lobotka, it reminds me of Alemao who ran everywhere. Then there are not only the eleven that Spalletti chooses for the starting line-up, the bench knows how to affect».

How important is it to be able to insert a striker with heavy goals like Simeone into the match in progress?

«Cholito has quality and is physically different from Osimhen: he is more mobile, he is an Argentinian who has determination and will to win. He scored a beautiful goal, I say that Napoli is ready to win the Scudetto: whoever is on the bench is always ready to do better than whoever starts as starter ».

He spent a morning at the Castel Volturno sports center and spoke with Spalletti. What atmosphere did you perceive?

«I see Naples united as a family. Spalletti doesn’t even want to miss the Thursday match, he manages to pass his mentality on to the boys who listen to him. I hope he goes all the way in the Champions League too, maybe in the final. We have won a UEFA Cup, but the Champions League is another thing. For Spalletti I also hope for a future as coach of the national team. In Brazil we had a phenomenal team which, however, did not collect results in Qatar. It’s difficult to watch a World Cup without Italy, it’s already happened twice and I don’t know why it happened. The Brazilians always ask me, I’m sorry because a World Cup without Italy is a bit sad. Spalletti lives the team every day, he’s crazy to always stay in Castel Volturno but the sports center is efficient and spectacular, in Soccavo we only had one pitch ».

Have you met De Laurentiis? What do you think of your career as president of Napoli?

«This journey is thanks to the team, Spalletti, Giuntoli and the president. They found Kvaratskhelia by paying him 10 million, sold Koulibaly and took Kim for 18 million: it is also thanks to the president who manages: football is business but it is important to have replaced those who have left in the best way. Unfortunately I didn’t meet him, but I met him years ago at what was then San Paolo in a match against Roma in which Cavani scored a hat-trick. I told him that he had to win the Scudetto to prove what it means to win in Naples. He said to me “who wants to win? I always want to compete because otherwise I have to spend more.” I replied that by winning the Scudetto you earn more: I think he has learned, I have seen the video with the fans that is shot on Tik Tok and I think he understood it. Winning the Scudetto here is worth ten elsewhere».