Napoli and Aurelio De Laurentiis are facing a heavy fine after the club president pushed a TV cameraman while ending a player interview.
Forward Matteo Politano was speaking with Sky Sports Italia in a pitchside interview ahead of the second leg of his side’s Champions League last 16-tie against Barcelona.
As the interview was being broadcast live, De Laurentiis, as reported in by Italian media, interrupted the conversation while shouting: “Politano! Politano! With you (Sky), he’s not allowed to talk.”
Politano, seemingly taken aback, walked away as the Napoli president continued to insult those conducting the interview before pushing the camera operator, who had to stumble backwards to regain his balance.
De Laurentiis claimed that his players were only authorised to speak with Sky journalist Gianluca Di Marzio and not his colleague Massimo Ugolini, who was conducting the interview.
However, Sky has authority to carry out pre-match interviews due to a TV rights package agreed with UEFA, the governing body of European football and organiser of the Champions League.
UEFA now look set to fine both Napoli and De Laurentiis for the incident, due to a breach of the TV deal agreement.
Sky’s director Federico Ferri posted on social media in response to the incident: “Sky Sport decides who does Sky Sport interviews.
“I’m speechless at what happened to our journalist and our cameraman: I condemn it without other comments.
“One thing is certain: we’ll go ahead as always, with professionalism, accuracy, credibility. And courtesy.”
Chi fa le interviste di Sky Sport lo decide Sky Sport.
Senza parole per quello che è successo al nostro giornalista, e al nostro cameraman: lo condanno senza altri commenti.
Una cosa è certa: andiamo avanti come sempre, con professionalità, rigore, credibilità. Ed educazione.— Federico Ferri (@FedericoFerri) March 11, 2024
It is the continuation of a pattern of hostility between De Laurentiis and the media, after the 74-year-old stopped all pre-match media obligations that were not contractually agreed in February. Napoli players have also been banned from speaking with the broadcaster DAZN, who show all Serie A matches in Italy.
Luigi De Siervo, CEO of Serie A, ruled that as a breach of the league’s contract with DAZN with Napoli receiving a €100,000 fine.
Napoli are away to Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie, following last month’s 1-1 draw in Naples.
Napoli won their first Serie A title in 33 years last season but they sit seventh in the league standings this campaign, 31 points off league leaders Inter with 10 rounds of matches remaining.
(Matteo Ciambelli / DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
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