The agent of Napoli defender Leo Ostigard admits he came close to leaving over the summer.
Luca Ariatti says only the intervention of coach Rudi Garcia prevented the stopper from leaving.
Ostigard scored in Napoli’s Champions League defeat to Real Madrid last night and Ariatti told Radio Punto Nuovo: “I was at the match yesterday, with his family. Leo’s satisfaction and happiness was truly great. And then scoring in the Champions League and scoring against Real Madrid is one of the best things for a footballer. His whole family was over the moon, it’s a shame that the result penalised the evening and still hurts.
“Knowing Leo, he is someone who plays for the team and always plays to win. Precisely for this reason, I know that in him now it is more regret than joy that prevails… Having said that, they were 3-4 days worth remembering for him: goals against Lecce and goals in the Champions League. And then the team started playing really well again, so you have to be happy and confident. Now they will have to recharge their batteries and prepare for a very important match like the one against Fiorentina.
“The feeling with Garcia? The coach himself confirmed this during his interviews. As soon as he arrived in Naples, he included Leo among the untransferable players. We had been approached by several clubs over the last summer, many had shown interest. Leo, however, can write important pages in Napoli’s history: Garcia believes in him and believed in him right from the start, then the pitch will tell everything. Leo is someone who works without making proclamations and is always ready. Now let’s let him work in peace.”
