Napoli is set to seek legal redress against its own players for boycotting training sessions up until Wednesday.
Coach, Carlo Ancelotti and club players are at loggerheads with chairman Aurelio De Laurentis which is set to cause problems this season. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the chairman of the club is now in talks with his lawyers about bringing to an end Ancelotti’s reign as coach.
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Ancelotti refused to take part in his post-match duties after Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League before players took matters into their hands by refusing to take part in training.
De Laurentiis had on Monday ordered that the team stay confined to a hotel and not step out after their 1-1 loss to Roma. They were to stay indoors and train from the end of their Champions League game to their next Serie A game against Genoa. This order is known as ‘ritiro’.
The ‘ritiro’ is a standard response to poor performances at Italian clubs although critics say it is outdated and makes highly-paid professional players look like misbehaving school children.
Carlo Ancelotti was initially against the idea but later came to terms with it. Speaking to Naples-based Radio Kiss Kiss, the Napoli chairman made it clear that the order isn’t meant to serve as punishment but in his words, ‘It’s a chance for the team to get to know each other better.’
It is learnt that after the match with Salzburg, reluctant Ancelotti had travelled to their training base on the team bus but his team refused to join instead they returned to their homes and contacted their lawyers in anticipation of the disciplinary action by the club.
This action didn’t go down well with the chiefs at Napoli and they have released a statement: ‘The club announces that, with reference to the behaviour of the players yesterday, Tuesday, November 5 2019, it will proceed to protect its rights on an economic, capital, image and disciplinary levels in every competent jurisdiction.
‘It is also made clear that the responsibility to decide on ordering days in a training retreat lies with coach Carlo Ancelotti.
‘A press silence has been ordered from now until a date yet to be decided.’
Ancelotti who has been linked to Boca Juniors had initially indicated his stance against it but the club believes it his duty to put his players in check.
Napoli currently sit seventh in the Serie A table with just one win in their past five league matches.
2 Comments
Damn!
The house is unsettled behind the scenes and it’s manifesting for all to see on the pitch
De Laurentiis had on Monday ordered that the team stay confined to a hotel and not step out after their 1-1 loss to Roma.
Guys, 1-1 no be loss na 🙂