Serie A

I Know A Lot About Napoli - Messi

Barcelona star Lionel Messi said he knows a lot about Napoli, a club where many legendary Argentinean players have plied their trade in the past.

Nov 19, 2008 8:49:41 PM

Easy as pie: The phenomenal Lionel Messi came off the bench to score two goals in the last five minutes to snatch a 2-1 victory for Barcelona over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Teams

There is no doubt that there's always been a special feeling between Napoli and Argentinean players. In the 1960s it was Omar Sivori who was their main man, then it was the incomparable Diego Maradona in the 1980s, and these days it's Ezequiel Lavezzi who's dazzling the San Paolo stadium.

The current forbidden dream for Napoli is Barcelona star and heir to Maradona's throne Lionel Messi, who may seem unobtainable for the Azzurri, but the 21-year-old told Sky Sport 24 he knows a lot about what happens at the foot of the Vesuvius, giving the Napoli faithful some hope.

"I have an excellent relationship with all the Argentinean players who play in Italy, and I often talk with Lavezzi and [German] Denis of Napoli," he said. "'El Pocho' talked to me about the warmth of the Napoli crowd, he told me they really admire me and that it's great to have them at your side."

These words by the Blaugrana's wizard will no doubt set the Napoli faithful's heart racing, although in today's football a move like the one Maradona made, from Barça to Napoli, whom he led to their two only league titles in 1987 and 1990, is increasingly unlikely.

Danilo Pochini