This evening, OGC Nice will play a friendly match in Naples on the occasion of the local club’s 90th anniversary celebration. It will be an opportunity for a grand festivity as only Neapolitans know how to organize them;
An hour before the match, the orchestra and choir of the prestigious San Carlo Opera Theater will perform classical musical pieces. They will be followed by the trio of tenors, winners of the Sanremo Festival, who will sing traditional Neapolitan songs.
Then, a film about the most important moments in the club’s history, founded in 1926 by Giorgio Ascarelli, will be shown on four giant screens.
Many former players of the team will also be introduced to the public, while Diego Maradona, the most famous of them all, will send a video message.
On the sporting side, it is the first time Naples will play at home this season after a training period in an Alpine locality, during which the team received the traditional visit of Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe who celebrated Mass on the playing field in the presence of the team and many supporters who sacrificed their vacations to accompany the team.
On this occasion, the renewal of the contract of the captain, Slovakian Marek Hamsik (29 years old), who has been with the club since 2007, will be announced. He has committed to the club until 2020 with an option for an additional season. His loyalty will earn him a contract of 3.5 million euros after taxes, plus bonuses.
This may be the first appearance of Polish player Arkadiusz Milik (formerly of Ajax) who will have to replace Gonzalo Higuain in the center of the Neapolitan attack. Higuain signed with Juventus for a transfer fee of 90 million and a personal contract of 7.5 million euros after taxes.
For Nice, Lucien Favre brings a group of 20 players:
Goalkeepers: Cardinale, Hassen.
Defenders: Albert, Souquet, Dalbert, Sarr, Boscagli, Bodmer, Baysse.
Midfielders: Walter, Seri, Koziello, Marcel, Cyprien, Lusamba, Eysseric, Vercauteren.
Forwards: Donis, Plea, Bosetti.
