‘There’s a God of football’
Gennaro Gattuso hailed the 'God of football' after he lifted his first coaching trophy as Napoli beat Juventus 4-2 on penalties to win the Italian Cup for the sixth time on Wednesday.
The final had ended 0-0 in an empty Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Paulo Dybala and Danilo both missed their spot-kicks for record 13-times Italian Cup champions Juventus with Arkadiusz Milik slotting in the winner for Napoli past veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon.
It is the first trophy for the southerners since 2014, and also a maiden coaching trophy for Gattuso, who took over from Carlo Ancelotti in December.
For former Italy World Cup winner Gattuso his first coaching success comes after the death of his 37-year-old sister Francesca from a rare illness.
"In life you cannot accept some things, but football has given me a lot and a great passion," said the 42-year-old former AC Milan great.
"I feel I have a great responsibility. I know I cannot give up and I have never done in my career. I saw a team tonight that wanted to win, we deserved it.
"There's a God of football, who makes you reap all that you've sown. "I am proud of what my lads have done. Now we must continue with this spirit also in the championship, to recover the disadvantage."
Napoli have been reborn under Gattuso and are now sixth in the league table as they target the Champions League places when Serie A returns this weekend after a three-month absence due to the coronavirus.
Thousands of Napoli fans swarmed onto the streets of Naples late Wednesday to wildly celebrate their team's first trophy in six years. The match in Rome's Stadio Olimpico was played behind closed doors because of the strict post-coronavirus health protocol.
but in Naples an estimated 5,000 fans celebrated in the city's historical centre after the 4-2 penalty win after the match against the Juventus of their former coach Maurizio Sarri ended 0-0.
Parades of cars and scooters began at the final whistle and gatherings took place in different parts of the city, with flares and fireworks lit and fans brandishing scarves and banners in praise of Napoli or mocking Juventus.
Meanwhile, the defeat was a worrying sign for Maurizio Sarri's Juventus, who also lost the Italian SuperCup final last December to Lazio.
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