Insigne, the last match in Naples: 40,000 to greet the captain

About 40,000 fans will fill the stands of Maradona on Sunday to greet Lorenzo Insigne. Of course, the captain dreamed of this farewell differently, with a championship that arrived at a certain point, winning was not just a dream, but a viable goal for how Luciano Spalletti’s team had earned that chance. One point from the peak in early April, with a calendar that is not impossible. Considering also that of the Milanese rivals.

The last urchin

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And for this reason the farewell on Sunday will also be sad and with some too many regrets. The match with Genoa will be the farewell to Fuorigrotta for the last of the urchins. Then in La Spezia probably still a presence that would lead him to close at 434, fourth overall in Naples after Hamsik, Bruscolotti and Juliano. And if another goal arrives, Lorenzo will be able to overtake Hamsik himself (for now they are level with 121) to become the second blue scorer of all time, behind the unattainable Mertens (148).

The license plate and the videos

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The company is still completing the ceremonial that will take place on Sunday before the race scheduled at 15 and wants to reserve some surprises. Certainly a commemorative plaque will be delivered by President Aurelio De Laurentiis (who on Monday said: “If he had problems in Canada we would welcome him at home”). In addition, images of the best goals scored by Insigne will be projected on the Maradona mega screens. Alternate with greetings videos from old teammates and notable players from the past. Some will respond to the club’s appeal in the next few hours. At the moment there will certainly be greetings from Marek Hamsik and Paolo Cannavaro, that is to say the other captains who have raised trophies – together with Insigne – in the 18 years of management of Napoli by De Laurentiis. At the end of the match, then – also in respect of Genoa fighting for salvation – the captain will prepare a short speech to greet his own people. Without big regrets, because in the end the relationship ended, without necessarily having to blame someone. The club wanted to lower his salary, Lorenzo chose a different football and a pharaonic contract in Toronto. So the memories remain. And there are some beautiful ones. Like that literally dream debut in the Champions League. With Lorenzo who puts a direct free-kick against Borussia Dortmund at the corner and decides the match against Klopp’s very strong team. With such a European debut, expectations have not always been met. And Napoli itself remained at good levels, but hardly had any rings, apart from three national cups.

Wednesday the party

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However sport is like that. It is therefore right to applaud on Sunday a protagonist of the last decade of Italian football. Lorenzo then for Wednesday 18 has planned a big party which will be attended by over 200 people in a club outside the city. Among the others foreseen the singers Clementino and Gigi D’Alessio. The celebrated invited all his old and new mates of these 10 years and also all the blues of the national team with whom he won his most prestigious trophy: the European Championship.