The Mayor of Naples Gaetano Manfredi experienced the title-clinching game along with the fans at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. He mused on the title to La Repubblica.
“Only in this city it’s possible to have a packed stadium even if the squad isn’t on the pitch. The final step was the most difficult one. It’s a wave that started months ago and culminated in the joy of the people. It’s a great victory for the community. Looking back at it, this pained ending resembles the history of the city.”
Manfredi described the Scudetto with three words.
“Organization: the ability to map out the squad. Multiculturalism, as the top players come all over of the world and got integrated, which testifies Napoli’s hospitality, its DNA, and modernity. And then talent, which was immense. Even our fiercest detractors were forced to recognize it.”
The Mayor dished on Aurelio De Laurentiis, as they have very different personalities.
“We have two things in common. We both see being Neapolitans as an identifying factor that’s projected to the future and not trapped in the past. Secondly, we are both aware that our true dimension must be international. Our purview is the entire world.”
Manfredi discussed the meaning of the win.
“I think it helps and already impacted the narrative about the city, which now shies away from stale representations. The city is now being presented as more open, dynamic, and competitive. The stereotypes come more from the rest of Italy than from abroad. The backwardness with which Naples is looked at is embarrassing. While they were doing that, we marched and built a 20-point lead.”
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