Aurelio De Laurentiis hopes for new Napoli stadium and training centre | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, Napoli president and owner Aurelio De Laurentiis says he hopes to push through a new stadium project, calling the Diego Armando Maradona outdated. The club had voiced the ambition last year with Euro 2032 in sight.

He outlined a site in east Naples of 38 hectares for a 70,000-seater with 120 boxes, restaurants and an interactive museum developed in Los Angeles. Fans could play virtual football with icons such as Maradona, Edinson Cavani and Gonzalo Higuain. He said the build could take 24 months and that he would not ask anyone for money.

Opened in 1959 and known as San Paolo until 2020, the Maradona is owned by the city and leased to the club on matchdays. With a running track separating stands from the pitch and a concrete bowl, its capacity is 60,000 and it is often cited as one of Serie A’s least appealing venues.

He contended the Maradona ought to be demolished to build new housing. He added that local authorities want to invest 200 million euros to modernise it, but said such a sum would achieve very little.

He also announced plans for a new training centre to replace Castel Volturno. In Qualiano, north west of the city, he said the club have found 17.5 hectares for 10 pitches and 7,500 m2 of buildings split between offices and changing rooms, serving the first team and the academy.

Napoli were ninth in Serie A after five matches.

Source: L'Équipe

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