Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has dedicated his side’s Coppa Italia win to a fan that was shot in Rome before the game.
The start of the Azzurri’s 3-1 victory over Fiorentina was delayed by 45 minutes amid rumours that a Neapolitan who was shot in the Tor di Quinto area of the city had died, but those proved to be unfounded and police assure the shooting was unrelated to the game.
“We dedicate this win to the city of Naples, including the Neapolitan who was unfortunately involved in a shooting incident and we thank the authorities who rushed him to hospital and saved his life,” the 64-year-old told Rai Sport.
“At that moment I focused only on verifying with the authorities how we could ensure the game would go ahead, as otherwise it would’ve been a defeat for all of Italian football.
“We resolved the problem also with the help of the two ultras groups, who were very understanding and co-operative.”
De Laurentiis also praised Rafa Benitez for winning a trophy in his debut season with the Partenopei.
“I don’t need to defend Benitez. He is a great professional, an extraordinary coach and with all the changes this team had it is very positive to win silverware and do very well in a difficult league,” he continued.
“Coaching in Naples is not the same as working anywhere else, believe me!
“I take my hat off to Rafa, as he is part of our organisation and will remain a part of it.”
