Clearly, Rudi Garcia’s return to Italy turns out to be much more complicated than expected. Fifth in the Serie A standings, seven points behind AC Milan, the Rossonero leader, Naples is having a mixed start to the season, while star strikers Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen have remained. The reigning Italian champion has just had a complicated week before the international break, with another match lost at home against Fiorentina (1-3), which comes just after the one conceded in the Champions League against Real Madrid ( 2-3).
Added to this is tension in the locker room, the Neapolitan locker room no longer wants Garcia. Several executives have reportedly complained about the technician’s methods and management is anticipating the Frenchman’s departure. Aurelio De Laurentiis, the president of Naples, was visiting Luiss University in Rome and took the opportunity to publicly accuse the 59-year-old manager. “I’m having a bad time with him. I am an entrepreneur, I have a duty to take an interest in my business. The coach and sports director are at your service. I will make the most appropriate decisions when the time comes. Any hasty decision is bad”he first blurted out.
Rudi Garcia was not Napoli’s first choice
Before going further and almost talking about an error in his recruitment. “When you take a coach who no longer knows Italian football, maybe he has difficulties. This would have happened to anyone else. The only responsibility I have, in addition to having chosen the coach, is for not having had the chance to be close to him.added the Neapolitan leader, who then admitted having surveyed Luis Enrique and Thiago Motta before consulting the ex-OL manager.
“I had questioned Thiago Motta, but he did not consider the risk of having to take the place of a coach who did what he did. I called Luis Enrique and it’s a good thing he’s gone to France, look what he’s doing. Yes, I called several names”, confirmed the president of the Gli Azzurri. According to the Italian press, De Laurentiis would have given Rudi Garcia an ultimatum. The Frenchman would have three matches to convince when he returns from the international break. Against Hellas Verona, 16th in the Championship, then in the Champions League against Union Berlin and finally during the Serie A shock, against AC Milan. Rudi G will therefore have to prepare a tough program to save his head.
