Alessio Zerbin has spoken passionately about how much he is enjoying this season with Napoli despite his limited playing time.
The 23-year winger spent the last four seasons out on loan at various clubs, before being brought into the Azzurri squad for the current campaign. With the wealth of talent available to Luciano Spalletti, Alessio has made just handful of substitute appearances in Serie A – including in last week's win over Sassuolo – but he's also enjoyed a taste of Champions League football and says he's more than happy where he is.
"I'm delighted to be here at Napoli. I feel involved,” he said in an interview with Radio Kiss Kiss.
"I never thought about leaving, not even in January. I'm proud and excited to be part of this squad. It's never easy when you're not playing much but I know I can learn a lot. I'm happy to be able to play for such an ambitious team, even if it is only a few minutes.
"Spalletti is helping me improve loads. He often keeps me behind at the end of the session for extra technical or physical work. He's the sort of coach who knows how to get the best out of every player and he's getting the results he deserves.
"There's a great team spirit and sense of belonging in the dressing room. It feels like a family. That's the biggest asset of this Napoli squad because just having the ability is not enough to win - if you need that emotional engagement too.
"At the start of the season no one thought we could reach such a high level. We're playing some fantastic football and we've shown we can compete on all fronts. The Eintracht game is important for us to build up our international mentality. We want to keep improving in the Champions League.
"As for my personal goals, I'm working really hard but I know I still have a long way to go both at Napoli and if I want to force my way into the Italy set-up. For now I'm trying to make the most of this season because playing for Napoli gives me so much joy.
"Seeing the Maradona always full and knowing there are fans who travel round Italy and Europe to follow us gives us massive motivation. We want to repay the Neapolitans by giving them joy. We want to go a long way with our fans.”
