Neapolitans on Monday continued their celebrations after Napoli wrapped up the fourth Serie A title of the club's history on Friday with a massive open-top bus parade in the southern city.
At least 200,000 fans took part in the parade along Naples seafront, in which the players and the Serie A trophy were borne along and aloft in two buses.
Napoli Chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis has announced that the title-winning squad will be received by Pope Leo XIV at a special audience in the Vatican on Tuesday.
The Napoli team arrived on the seafront in a special boat and were welcomed by thousands of delirious fans in the soccer-made southern Italian city, before they embarked on the open-top bus ride.
Chants feted the supporters' heroes and flags were waved in joy.
There was also a flag on one of the buses dedicated to Daniele, a very young Napoli fan who died of cancer prematurely this last season and for whom Cameroon midfielder Frank Anguissa wore a bracelet throughout the championship.
Alberto Bigon, the coach of Diego Maradona's second scudetto in 1990, told reporters "my compliments to "coach) Antonio Conte." Bigon agreed with the majority of commentators and pundits in expressing the forecast that the former Juve, Italy and Chelsea boss "will now leave Napoli." Conte has been closely linked to a job with Juventus if, as expected, Igor Tudor leaves despite leading the Bianconeri to third place in Serie A this season, having taken them over when they were sixth. Ex Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri has been strongly linked to replacing Conte in Naples.
Juventus and France legend Michel Platini, meanwhile, said at the Vialli and Mauro ALS charity golf pro-am tournament outside Turin that "players make teams great, not managers".
Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed Belgium and ex Manchester City great Kevin De Bruyne was in talks to join the club and again substantially ducked talk about Conte staying on as coach, while telling fans they could be confident that Napoli would continue to prosper no matter who led them."The fans can rest assured, in the future there will always be a Napoli with the ability to have its say", said Laurentiis to RaiSport from aboard the open-top bus to a question about the future manager given the serious doubts about Conte staying on."Coaches have a contract, and if they want to stay we are very happy to continue this wonderful journey with them", he said, reiterating what he had already said repeatedly in recent days. The president also substantially confirmed the arrival of De Bruyne. "I connected with him on video, his is a fantastic family, even if the contract has not yet been signed: "No news can be given until it is black and white". Finally, De Laurentiis estimated that in the streets of Naples there are "one and a half million people".
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