Napoli defender Raul Albiol believes that the Azzurri fans are the most demanding in football and feels that no other group of supporters are as passionate about the sport as the Neapolitans.
The Partenopei will be facing Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in Naples in their Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday and the 29-year-old is expecting to see the fans go crazy for their team as usual, admitting that playing at the San Paolo is unlike anything else he’s experienced in his career.
Albiol spoke to Panenka about life in Naples and the many emotions shown by the Napoli fans, while also commenting on the Neapolitan side’s fight against the many clubs from Northern Italy.
“The Napoli fans are the most demanding of all because the people here really live football,” said the Spanish international.
“I mean, this city is really 100% in love with football. I guess it’s been like this ever since Diego Maradona spent time here, and I think the people want those great emotions from that time to return.
“If we can make them feel really good like that then they’re very loving towards us. But they’re always going mad anyway, whether we’re doing the right things or the wrong things.
“The San Paolo? It’s a pleasure playing here. Sure, places like the Bernabeu are fascinating to everyone, but the San Paolo is a different story.
“Sometimes I think that if they were to take the athletics track out of the stadium, then all hell would break loose.
“Napoli are continuing to battle all of the teams from Northern Italy.”
