“I hit it off with Rudi Garcia straight away. He’s the right choice as we seek to keep up our great domestic and European footballing journey.” Aurelio De Laurentiis was present at the unveiling of the new Napoli coach at the Salone delle Feste del Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte. The club president gave an insight into his first meeting with the new boss and spoke about his ambitions for the future in light of Napoli’s Serie A triumph in 2022/23.
“Garcia has made it as far as the Champions League semi-finals, now it’s time for him to reach the final. Picking Garcia wasn’t the end of a long process. I’ve been so busy with the organisation of the end-of-season Scudetto celebrations. Only on 5 June did my search for a new coach begin.
“I was looking for a coach who’d shone in the past using the 4-3-3 formation. I wanted continuity and to not upset the apple cart. Rudi’s Roma side finished second twice in Serie A, he nearly made the Champions League final with Lyon, and this has led me to believe that he’s the right man for the job.
“I’ve got great faith in Garcia, he’s already shown what he’s capable of and has got nothing to prove. We need to just let him get down to work without stress or hurry.”
What struck you about Garcia?
“His spontaneity and directness. I felt as if I’d already met him, we got on well straight away. We struck a chord immediately and I think everything has been positive so far. He’s the right choice.
“I’ve got no doubts over Garcia. Our first meeting was natural, between two people who got on well immediately.”
The Osimhen situation:
“I’ve had a chat with Victor Osimhen and we totally agree about getting a contract extension. As for the rest of the squad, we’ll weigh things up alongside Rudi and make decisions. I believe that pre-season preparations are vital and will give us a better idea of our squad.
“I’m ambitious by nature, and I’m still just as competitive regardless of our Scudetto win. It’s a De Laurentiis family trait. We want to make our mark on European competitions.”
