(Mar. 13) – “The SSC Napoli wishes to all its fans a wonderful evening in Stamford Bridge, with enthusiasm and peaceful passion for football.” This is not only the closing of a press release: it is the hope for a great result, never achieved in the club’s history, and the admiration of the chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis for British football. And above all, there is the invitation to behave in a right way, like the British football requires. Napoli have never achieved the Champions League quarter-finals, neither with the almighty Diego Armando Maradona, and now – fingers crossed the Italian fans – there are 90 minutes to become legend. The first match ended 3-1 for Napoli, and the return match will be tomorrow in London: the tickets available for the Italian fans – 2,700 – are all sold, and the supporters will not be allowed to entry into other sectors. So it remains unclear how many people will leave the region of Campania. Here is where it gets more complex: a rough estimate is about 5.000 supporters, while the media talks about a “blue tide”. “The regulations of the stadiums in England are much stricter than ours. Just to make an example: if you smoke on the terraces, you are expellef from the stadium”, Luigi Merolla, commissioner of Napoli, warned. Other way, Scotland Yard Police seems to be not concerned: “If they won’t create problems in London, the Napoli fans are welcome – a police spokesman said – and who will try to enter the stadium without a ticket will be dismissed by stewards.” The Italian fans without tickets could find their spots in the numerous Italian restaurants. The package is the same almost everywhere: pizza, beer and match on the big screen at 10 pounds. Like at home, but with the screams of the stadium in the background. Just to say “I was there”. (COG/Peg)
