Napoli Coach Announces One-Year Sabbatical

The manager of Napoli, Luciano Spalletti, has announced that he will be going on a “sabbatical” for a year at the end of the 2022-2023 season.

Luciano Spalletti’s exit from football for at least a year is coming weeks after he led Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years and their first UEFA Champions League quarter-finals in the club’s history.

Spalletti, 64, became the manager of Napoli in July 2021 and he is leaving the club this summer with one year left on his contract.

“I need to take some time to rest because I’m pretty tired,” the veteran Italian tactician said on Monday, May 29.

“I don’t know if you can call it a year’s sabbatical but I won’t be working. I won’t be coaching Napoli or any other team.”

In his reaction, the president of Napoli, Aurelio De Laurentiis, said he would “respect” the choice of the tactician as he appreciated the contributions of the coach to the club.

De Laurentiis said, “He’s a free guy, he gave us something, and I thank him. He is completely entitled to follow his interests.”

Napoli’s “ideal candidate” to succeed Luciano Spalletti is Luis Enrique, a former manager of Roma, Celta, and Barcelona who left as Spain’s manager following the 2022 World Cup, according to Corriere dello Sport.

After drawing 2-2 with Bologna on Sunday, Napoli will face Sampdoria in their final match of the 2022-2023 season this weekend.