When Gonzalo Higuain made the controversial switch to Napoli to Juventus in 2016, he became the target of abuse in the southern city by the fans and the top management alike.
The Argentine’s rapport with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis had deteriorated by the time of his exit, giving the striker an extra motive every time he clashed heads against his former employers.
At the time, the Partenopei had replaced Il Pipita with Arkadiusz Milik, but as fate would have it, the latter left Napoli on an even sourer note in 2021. Ironically, the Pole also ended up at Juventus, albeit following an 18-month spell at Olympique Marseille.
As Corriere di Torino (via JuventusNews24) tells it, Friday’s showdown between Napoli and Juventus will be a particularly special occasion for Milik who will make first return to the Maradona Stadium following his unceremonious exit.
The source recalls how the rapport between the player and the club degenerated starting from the famous squad mutiny in December 2019 which resulted in the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti. The Poland international also had issues with the club regarding his image rights.
In the summer of 2020, Milik was on his way out from the club, but Napoli vetoed possible sales to Juventus and Roma, eventually freezing the striker out of the squad for six months before his departure to Marseille in the following January.
Therefore, we can expect the 28-year-old to have a knife between his teeth when he takes the field against De Laurentiis’ men.
