Author: Barkha Roy
Napoli have officially appointed Rudi Garcia as their new coach, succeeding Luciano Spalletti, according to an announcement made by the club. The details of Garcia’s contract with Napoli have not been disclosed.
Aurelio De Laurentiis, the club’s owner, expressed his pleasure at welcoming Garcia, stating: “After getting to know him and evaluating him over the last 10 days, Mr. Rudi Garcia will take over as Napoli’s new coach. I welcome you warmly and wish you the best of luck“.
The decision to appoint Garcia may not be greeted with great enthusiasm by Napoli fans, who were excited after the team’s recent Serie A championship win, considering that other high-profile candidates such as Luis Enrique, Julian Nagelsmann and Gian Piero Gasperini were linked with the manager’s job.
Garcia previously coached AS Roma in Italy from 2013 to 2016, before managing Marseille and Lyon in Ligue 1. Last season, he was manager of Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, leading the team to second place in the Saudi Pro League, with Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the main players. However, Garcia and Al Nassr ended their association in April due to reported tensions with Ronaldo.
Luciano Spalletti, the former Napoli coach who led the team to their first Serie A title in 30 years, has asked for a one-year break from coaching. Spalletti, 64, expressed his need for rest, stating: “I need a year off. I’m feeling a bit tired“.
Garcia’s managerial achievements include winning the Ligue 1 title with Lille in 2011 and leading Marseille to the UEFA Europa League final in 2018.
One of Garcia’s immediate challenges will be to convince Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, who played a key role in Napoli’s winning season, to stay at the club. Osimhen’s impressive performances resulted in 31 goals in various competitions, attracting interest from major European clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
However, De Laurentiis has made it clear that he will only consider parting ways with the 24-year-old striker if he accepts his own terms. Napoli fans are eagerly awaiting Garcia’s strategies and tactics as they hope for continued success under his leadership.