The Day Napoli Began to Unravel with Luis Enrique’s Rejection
On May 29, 2023, Aurelio de Laurentiis publicly announced that Spalletti would be leaving Napoli after winning the Serie A. “Spalletti told me he had completed a cycle, had done everything possible, and asked for a sabbatical year. I will respect his decision, despite the contract,” stated the president. De Laurentiis had known this for days, to the extent that he had already started formal discussions to sign the future coach of the newly crowned Serie A champion.
Aurelio de Laurentiis’s list of candidates was always led by one name. The president wanted a coach with character, ambition, and a love for offensive football: Luis Enrique. His desire was nothing more than to follow Spalletti’s departure with the arrival of Luis Enrique. However, his wish never materialized into an agreement, despite his efforts until the very end.
Just a few days ago, the president of Napoli himself confessed two truths that define his peculiar character. Firstly, his strained relationship with Rudi Garcia, which even led to his dismissal after “sending him to hell.” Secondly, he had a meeting “with Luis Enrique’s agent and lawyer” to try to sign him.
At the end of May, Aurelio de Laurentiis summoned Luis Enrique’s agent, Ivan de la Peña, to his palace in Rome. It was a cordial meeting that ended without an agreement. After hearing the proposal from the Neapolitan leader, Luis Enrique politely rejected the opportunity to coach the new Italian champion.
A setback that De Laurentiis swiftly and, initially, with some solidity, addressed. On June 15, just two weeks after Luis Enrique’s rejection, Napoli announced the return of Rudi Garcia to the Italian League (he had previously coached Roma).
The latest chapter of Napoli’s debacle unfolds in the last few hours. Walter Mazzarri, Rudi’s replacement, is already history, while Francesco Calzona faces the challenge of restoring stability to a tumultuous club. All of this with Barcelona and the Champions League round of 16 looming.
