Napoli’s new French coach, Rudi Garcia, stated Thursday that his team is “as motivated as ever” following Garcia’s appointment.
Garcia, 59, was formerly the manager of Roma, and he replaces Luciano Spalletti, who resigned after leading the southern club to their first Scudetto in 33 years.
Despite being second in the league and having just acquired five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo for tens of millions of euros, Al Nassr fired Garcia in April.
What a joy it is to take on the Napoli endeavor. Garcia tweeted, “What a pleasure to return to Italy.”
“I am as motivated and as ambitious as I have ever been,” he said.
Before the club made the announcement on social media, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed Garcia’s joining.
After meeting and talking with Mr. Rudi Garcia over the course of the previous 10 days, De Laurentiis announced the news on Twitter.
He said, “A sincere welcome to him and a big good luck!”
Garcia, who is fluent in Italian, led Roma to Champions League qualifying in 2014 and 2015 after leading Lille to the French double in 2011.
In his own country, he has coached for both Marseille and Lyon.
Former Barcelona and Spain coach Luis Enrique was reportedly the frontrunner to replace Spalletti, with former PSG manager Christophe Galtier also being mentioned by the Italian press.
De Laurentiis had said he had 40 candidates in mind to replace the eccentric Spalletti.
After Spalletti, 64, who became the oldest coach to win the Scudetto and guided Napoli to the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time in club history, Garcia will have enormous shoes to fill.
Sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has also left his post, and the Italian has left Naples to go back to his vineyard in Tuscany on gardening leave.
Garcia’s primary responsibility will be to maintain unity among the championship squad as they attempt to emulate Diego Maradona’s 1990 performance.
In 1990, Napoli won the league much as Diego Maradona did the year before. Garcia will have to work hard to keep his championship team together.
Kim Min-jae of South Korea, whose outstanding season at center defense swiftly made supporters forget Kalidou Koulibaly, allegedly has a release clause of 50 million euros ($54 million) and is being courted by Manchester United and Bayern Munich.
Victor Osimhen, a Nigerian striker who scored 30 goals in all competitions this season, is also being pursued. It was his goal against Udinese that won the Scudetto with five games remaining in the league season.
It’s no secret that Osimhen wants to make it to the top flight of English soccer.
But until 2027, Garcia will have the benefit of training with Georgia’s wing wizard Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, whose contract was recently extended.