Sabatini defends Lang over the boos, but the rift began

Sabatini defends Lang over the boos, but the rift began in Porto

Two days after the 1-1 draw with Lazio, the journalist backed the Dutchman and called the jeers unheard of for a Napoli player. He has a point, but he leaves out how the story started.

by Gennaro SanninoTuesday 10 November, 18:18 CET· 21 hours ago

Lo stadio Diego Armando Maradona di Napoli

Lo stadio Diego Armando Maradona — Foto: Mister No · CC BY 3.0

Sandro Sabatini took Noa Lang's side on Tuesday 10 November. He did not hold back.

Speaking on the radio, he said: "Fans pay for their ticket and are free to do what they want, but Lang is free not to go under the Curva to be insulted, accepting something that was not worthy of Napoli's support. I can't remember boos like that for a Napoli player. In Napoli-Lazio something happened that has never been done in a hundred years."

He then turned to the gesture that set the Maradona alight. Lang put a finger to his ear, first towards the Curva A and then the Curva B, the two ends behind the goals. "Lang only said 'let us hear you', but he often urges the crowd to make themselves heard," Sabatini said. "The lad was booed and then the fans want him to go under the Curva to be abused. No, that's not how it works."

Where the story really starts

His reading has one clear flaw. It starts on Sunday, but the story began earlier. On 4 November, after the 4-1 defeat to Porto, more than 2,000 supporters had travelled to Portugal and the team went to their section to apologise. Lang did not. The boos at the Maradona started there, not from prejudice.

At the final whistle against Lazio, the Dutchman headed for the dressing room and the staff sent him back. Then came the photo of the ear gesture on Instagram, liked by four teammates, captain Di Lorenzo among them.

Not everything Sabatini says is wrong, though. On Sunday it was Lang's cross, in the 48th minute, that led to Pedraza's own goal, our only goal in a match where all six Napoli shots on target were saved. Booing a player in our shirt at every touch, with the game still open and against the league leaders, is a choice open to debate. Lucca got the same treatment, booed before he had even touched the ball.

"Lang is free not to go under the Curva to be insulted"

The anger is about more than Lang

On one point, though, the journalist looks the other way. The Maradona's anger is not only about Lang. Napoli are tenth with 15 points after 11 rounds, matching the lowest mark of the De Laurentiis era, set in 2007/08, and without a win in three games. At a moment like this, a gesture of defiance towards the Curva weighs double. A player who makes it, after not going to the away end in Porto, has put himself on the wrong side.

Then there is that "never in a hundred years", said in the club's centenary year of all years. It is a strong line, but it does not explain what this record is supposed to be.

What is certain is that the relationship between Lang and the fanbase broke down within days, and that the club has already started thinking about selling him in January. Napoli paid PSV €25m plus bonuses for him, and €15-20m could be enough to let him go. If that happens, the loss will belong to whoever built the squad, not to those who booed.

Lang is now away with his national team. Torino visit the Maradona on Saturday 21 November at 20:45 CET (19:45 UK, 14:45 ET). If Allegri picks him, the two Curvas will give Sabatini his answer.