What’s up Napoli Nation? Don’t know about you, but for this Napoli fan, that long break felt like an entire off-season. Now that we are back in the thick of things, it’s time to start believing in our hearts that this Napoli team can go all the way and finally win the coveted Scudetto, which has eluded our great city for over 30 years. Not since the Diego Armando Maradona golden years has Napoli Nation felt the glorious emotion of lifting that trophy and sticking it to the “great” northern Italian clubs.
President Aurelio De Laurentiis has been heavy criticized during his tenure as owner of our beloved Napoli, and I for one, have dished out quite a bit of that harsh chastisement. But nobody can deny his business acumen and Napoli has been the most consistent Scudetto contender, not to mention the anti-Juventus, in the last decade. Now that it seems De Laurentiis is onboard with the Scudetto being the focus, the excitement can be felt from the waterfront in Pozzuoli to the top of Vomero hill and back down to the beautiful Amalfi coast.
The Partenopei did not come out the gate blazing after the break, losing to Inter on the road at the San Siro by a narrow margin of 1-0. I was at that match with my son who travelled from California to watch a few games, get some Italian food, or “Chop” (as they would say in Oma Akatugba’s homeland of Nigeria) and to start our new YouTube Channel, Napoli Nation TV. I was emotionally prepared for our boys to lose this match; therefore, the loss didn’t actual hit me too hard. Inter dominated the match is every way, and our players were apparently still thinking about the pandoro they devoured over the holiday break. The San Siro was completely sold-out, a first for me in that iconic stadium. As we exited, the majority of the Napoli faithful in attendance chanted continuously, as if we won the match. Also a first for me, and it gave me goosebumps! Lastly, Mario got to snap a picture with YouTube sensation Buona Seba!
Following the Inter loss, some of Napoli Nation overacted a bit, expressing how it will be another season of playing with our emotions. This season is different though. Napoli proved again that they have the winning mentality required of a championship team by immediately beating Sampdoria at the Marassi. Getting into the Marassi wasn’t a nice experience, as there were no directions leading us to the seating area after the turnstiles. It felt like a maze that lasted about 15 minutes before finally reaching the visitor’s section. Nevertheless, it was a dominant display and reminded us how good the Mario Rui/Victor Osimhen combination is. Rui delivered a beautiful cross into the area, and Victor was in the perfect position to get his foot on the ball to open the scoring. Prior to that exchange, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa drew a questionable foul in the area, but Matteo Politano could not convert. At halftime I left the stands to get something to drink, but it felt like I was getting my “fix” for the night! Later in the match, Victor drew a red-card, and Napoli were awarded a second penalty kick for a handball in the area. This time Eljif Elmas converted, firing a rocket in the top right corner.
Next up was the heated rivalry match everyone had been waiting for all season…JUVENTUS! As I mentioned in our Napoli Nation TV Kick-Off show, I can say with all honesty that I was extremely confident Napoli would dominate Juventus. They are simply not the same team that put fear into the opposition over the last decade-plus. But I would be lying my ass off if I believed it would be such a demolition! Napoli toyed with them and displayed to the world that Napoli has not been a fluke and there are no signs of a let-down. Victor had his best game against a big opponent since arriving at Napoli. His brace was the driving force in the 5-1 goal fest. This match result has put Napoli ahead of Juventus by 10 points and with only one more road match to play against the current top six team (prior to their 15-point deduction!), we are edging closer to what we have all been dreaming about for three decades! This was the first match ever for a good friend, Dom, who came in from New York. What a match for his Napoli debut!
So that was the pallon’, but let’s not forget about the pizz’…or in this case, the pasta! During my visit to Genova, which is referred to all over Italy as the “Northern Napoli”, I had to find a good place to get some pasta Genovese. I ordered a spaghetti Genovese, and it was simply the best pasta Genovese I have ever had. The place, called “il Gevovese,” was tucked away near Piazza Ferrari. It was a small two-story trattoria with a characteristic spiral staircase. My son ordered porpette, which are also a staple in Genova. After I tried them, I wished that I ordered them too, they were perfectly cooked, and the rustic tomato sauce was sublime!
As everyone knows, Napoli is where I call home, and each time I am there, I always get a daily colazione at “Gran Bar Franco”, where I truly believe has the best espresso and pastries in the world. I also grabbed a pizza at “Pizzeria 3.0 – Ciro Cascella”. I usually order a typical margherita or something very similar. However, this time I tried out a pizza called “Black Angus 3.0”. This masterpiece is a combination of stracciate di buffalo, fresh basil sauce, and yellow Vesuvius tomatoes. All that with smoked Black Angus carpaccio. MA MAMMA! CHE BUONO!
If you want me to cover something specific, send a message to my Twitter account at @NapuleDBO. Let me hit a spot you miss, or one you have heard about!
Until next time, FORZA NAPOLI, BUON APPETTITO, e STATT BON!
