Ancelotti pays tribute to a ‘ good guy’ and a ‘ Napoli idol’
Ever t on manager Carlo Ancelotti paid tribute to Napoli's idol and his good friend after Diego Maradona was buried in a private ceremony in Argentina.
Ancelotti played against the 1986 World Cup- winning captain, who died on Wednesday aged 60, during their time in Serie A and later went on to manage the Partenopei.
Napoli had taken to the field wearing ' Maradona 10' shir ts ahead of their Europa League win over HNK Rijeka on Thursday.
Ancelotti reflected on the special place "good guy” Maradona wi l l a l ways hold in the hearts of Napoli supporters, the diminutive playmaker having led them to a first domestic championship in 1987 and again in 1990.
"I have a good memory of him. He was my opponent and he became my friend after that," the 61- year- old said. "He was a really good guy and I always liked him as a person. It is a big loss for football, but the memory is still there.
"He was a fantastic player and he helped football around the world with his quality, his skills and his ability."
Ancelotti, who moved to AC Milan from Roma in 1987, recalled: "At the time he was the best player and the best player I played against, really difficult to stop, unbelievable quality.
"Maradona i s a n i dol for Napoli, he i s always respected. For the city he was not only a footballer, but was great example to show everywhere."
Maradona died of a heart att ack i n Buenos Aires where he had been recovering from a brain operation. He was buried in a private ceremony at Jardin Bella Vista cemetery on Thursday, attended by only two dozen people.