Castel di Sangro, blue night: Napoli’s new faces meet the fans | OneFootball

Piazza del Plebiscito has been transformed into a large open-air living room. Also in Abruzzo, like in Dimaro, Napoli wanted to meet its fans, giving them an evening of music, emotions, and confidences. On stage, Amir Rrahmani, two-time Italian champion, went up along with new arrivals Sam Beukema, Luca Marianucci, and Lorenzo Lucca. At 19:45, the evening was opened by the dj set of Daniele "Decibel" Bellini, the historic speaker of Maradona. Then, at 19:59, the entrance of the four blues sparked the enthusiasm of the crowd.

Between Netflix, PlayStation, and first salaries

The first topic? Free time. "I like to relax by watching Netflix," Marianucci said. "I play PlayStation, especially Fifa and war games. And of course, I train." "It was a busy year," Rrahmani explained, "so I tried to make the most of every free moment." Beukema also has a weakness for the joystick: "I love Play, I play it often." Lucca smiled talking about his beginnings: "My first salary? I spent it all in a few days. I bought everything."

Memories, dreams, and special moments

When talking about strong emotions, each one has their own indelible memory. "My most beautiful moment? The victory of the second scudetto," Rrahmani said. "In the first, in 2023, we had 15 points of advantage, but the fear of throwing it away was great. The second one passed through complicated matches, like the one with Parma and then with Cagliari." Lucca recounted: "The goal I remember with the most pleasure? One on a penalty kick at Bari, in Serie C with Palermo. But also those against Inter and Monza gave me a lot." "When a peer tells you that they esteem you as a person," Marianucci said, "it's one of the most beautiful compliments you can receive." Beukema added: "They told me that I remained the same even after arriving at Napoli. And this makes me happy."

Objectives and aspirations

When asked about future dreams, the answers drew different horizons. "I would like to win the scudetto with Napoli," Beukema said. "As a child, I dreamed of the World Cup with Holland." "My dream has always been the Premier League," Rrahmani confessed. "But now I'm here, and I'm happy to stay." "The dream of every child is to win a World Cup with Italy," Lucca said. "For me," Marianucci concluded, "it would already be a dream to score my first goal in Serie A and celebrate it with you."

Arrival in blue

Everyone told the story of the moment when Napoli knocked on their door. "Conte called my agent while I was on vacation in Ibiza," Beukema said. "When Napoli calls you, it's a very strong emotion." Lucca remembered: "I spoke first with director Manna, then came Conte's call. I didn't think twice." Marianucci smiled: "When my agent told me about Napoli, I just said 'ok'. But inside, I was exploding." "I had just arrived in Verona," Rrahmani recounted. "After two or three matches, Giuntoli contacted my agent: he wanted me right away."

Dressing room, music, and rooms

There was also room for curious anecdotes. "I share a room with Sam," Marianucci revealed. "In Dimaro, I was alone, now it's better: we talk a lot." "He's one of the best roommates," Beukema joked. Lucca recounted: "I get along very well with Meret, Buongiorno, and Raspadori: I already knew them from the national team." "Before, I spent a lot of time with Elmas," Rrahmani said, laughing. "But Lucca doesn't even know who he is!" Regarding music in the dressing room, Rrahmani revealed: "Since he arrived, Spinazzola chooses it. And he has good taste."

Soccer and social media, between dreams and reality

Everyone answered a simple but direct question: when did you realize you could become soccer players? "At 17, in Albania," Rrahmani said. "When I debuted in Holland," Beukema replied. "When I arrived in Serie A," Marianucci admitted. Lucca joked: "I'm not sure yet!"

On social media, different opinions:

"Normal," Lucca said. "There are too many uncontrolled comments," Rrahmani reflected. "I was happy to receive many messages from fans," Beukema said. "I use them in dead moments," Marianucci said.

Advice to young people

The younger ones listened attentively to the advice. "Never give up," Rrahmani said. "Even when you're tired, you have to train anyway." "If you don't believe in yourself, no one will do it for you," Lucca added. "Have fun," Beukema advised. "Have faith in your dreams," Marianucci concluded.

Finally, the idol from childhood: "Ibrahimovic," Lucca said. "Sergio Ramos," Marianucci said. "Ronaldinho," Beukema replied. "Henry and Vermaelen," Rrahmani closed.

Fantacalcio and superstitious rituals

A parenthesis on the relationship with fantacalcio, very felt among the fans, could not be missing. "I don't like it," Rrahmani cut short. "I'm too focused on the field." "At the restaurant, they stop you to ask for bonuses," Lucca joked. "This year it's also done in Holland. I like the game, but I don't play," Beukema explained. "My friends do the auction every year. Last year I was also there, but two of them arrived at the end," Marianucci said, laughing.

And before entering the field? Each one has their own ritual. "I touch the grass and kiss my wrist," Lucca revealed. "As soon as I enter the dressing room, I do mobility with the physiotherapists, then stretching alone, without talking to anyone," Rrahmani explained. "I listen to my favorite music to get focused, then stretching," Beukema added. "I'm not very superstitious, I live the pre-game with serenity," Marianucci concluded.

Andrea Alati

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.