Simeone: ‘Maradona is no longer here, but he left his mark on Napoli forever’

Diego Simeone left Verona on loan (with an option to buy) for Napoli last summer and has been more than happy in his first few months in southern Italy as the Argentine striker claims the Partenopei have something unique. Diego Maradona.

“It’s wonderful. Everyone here is talking about Diego. Everyone is telling you that they have had an experience with Diego. They are passionate about it, as if it happened to them yesterday and it was probably 30 years ago.

Diego isn’t here, but it’s like he’s with us.”he emphasized in an interview with his home newspaper “La Nacion”, adding:

“The world still suffers from the difference between North and South. Diego saved it from oblivion. It’s a city full of passion and it’s a point of pride for them to have Maradona.

He is the one who gave them light and hope and convinced them that they could handle the strong Italian North. They tell you that every day. He left his mark everywhere.

Now there are people who say to me: “Since Italy are not at the World Cup, we will all be at Argentina.”

On how he feels playing for Napoli he said: “There was something inside me that told me to go to Napoli, I had to come here.

At some point the negotiations got stuck, but I didn’t deviate an inch from my wish, I wanted to go to Napoli.”

It should be noted that the 27-year-old son of Diego Simeone has made 8 games and scored 3 goals for Napoli, most recently against Ajax at the “Johan Cruyff Arena” last Tuesday (04/10), which was also the first time on Champions -League level.