[D-Kin]

Napoli chief blasts beaten side Friday 18 January, 2008

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Napoli chief Aurelio De Laurentiis was livid after the Azzurri exited the Coppa Italia last night and hit out at the team and Coach.

The Vesuviani had set their hearts on Cup glory in their first season back in the top flight, but they came unstuck against Lazio.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, the Partenopei conceded at the Stadio San Paolo and Maurizio Domizzi’s late goal was too little too late.

“We really wanted to win partly because the Coppa Italia can get you into Europe. But evidently someone didn’t see it in the same way,” De Laurentiis boomed.

“Certainly if you want to lose a game you would play like Napoli did tonight.

“You want to play like that? Fine, but make sure you win. I’m a true Neapolitan – you always have to win.

“The fact is that if we had played properly from the start it would have been different – it wasn’t about the changes that were made in the second half after we were a goal down.

"If you want to win against a team like Lazio, you can’t play like that. We needed to show more energy and to look angrier out there. Evidently, Claudio Lotito spoke to the players while I didn’t.”

De Laurentiis’ comments will increase the pressure on Coach Edy Reja and also increase speculation that Napoli’s supremo will turn to the market.

“I want to buy someone and I would like to bring in two wingers, but they tell me that we are doing fine and that I should just shut up and watch,” he explained.

“However, this game is over now and I’m thinking about getting to 38 points – or survival.”

channel4.com - Football Italia