(Bottom) Naples paints blue walls for first scudetto since Maradona's era

2023-03-28 13:14

(Bottom) Naples paints blue walls for first scudetto since Maradona's era


Locals have abandoned their traditional " Scaramanzia " , a series of rituals rooted in pop culture to ward off bad luck, which often includes not declaring victory until it has been achieved.


The city's artisans created statues for the city's new heroes. Cardboard silhouettes of players line the city's Spanish Quarter, bumblebees run through narrow alleyways and blue flags fly in front of shops.

The poster showed Maradona in heaven, handing the league title to Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen and Georgian winger Hevicha Kovaratskhelia - the two main stars of the current team.

Residents have launched a fundraiser to fund a league party they say will last for days, with the aim of painting the city's walls and streets in the club's blue hue.

" The excitement can't be contained, " said Antonio Saracino , 55 , who keeps a collection jar for donations in the store.

Neapolitans hope sporting glory can boost a city where poverty remains widespread but life is improving as tourism grows, with research group Demoskopika estimating a 13 percent increase in arrivals this year compared to 2022 .

" The first two league victories happened in different times. There wasn't much tourism. There were massive local celebrations, but they didn't get past Napoli," said Ernesto Monte , 59, in the center of Plebiscito Said looking out to sea in a nearby bar. square.

Maradona remains the city's biggest hero and the stadium is named after him, recalls novelist and poet Eli De Luca, after an earthquake in nearby Irpinia killed 2,700 in 1980 Only a few years later, he joined the team.

" It was a city that was still shaking off the dust of the earthquake. It had the Camorra mafia wars in its streets and prisons. Tourists came here just to go straight to the island and the coast. Today Naples is a sight," he said .

 

League win isn't Napoli's only victory this year

A possible league win may not be Napoli's only victory this year, with many fans hoping the team will reach the Champions League final for the first time ever. They face Italian rivals AC Milan in the quarter-finals .

Pietro de Chiara, 26 , helped paint a giant league title logo on the open-air staircase of the bustling Spanish Quarter (Heaven Alley) last week .

" After the Serie A title, we will have the Champions League and we will finish painting the steps, " he told Reuters.