Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has secured ownership of Bari.

De Laurentiis was competing with Lazio President Claudio Lotito for the right to run the phoenix club, but it's the Partenopei patron who has won the day.

“I received the sporting title on July 23," local mayor Antonio Decaro explained last night.

“I was responsible for keeping the sport in Bari and in these days I spoke with everyone, fans, Presidents, companies and executives.

“This activity has led to a result which I believe is a success because I didn't expect all these offers, there were 11 and I want to thank everyone who participated.

“For the final choice the responsibility is solely mine and I want to thank the commission.

“I have a clear conscience about this choice, there's no mathematical formula but I can sleep easy because I gave everything to this.

“I thought only of the good of my city and of the fans who asked me for competence, transparency and respect. I think I have respected these parameters.

“I chose Aurelio De Laurentiis because he has economic strength and because he has sporting competence.

"He is the person with whom I fought the most, I made requests and we had confrontations.

"I think we'll argue a lot, as he doesn't have an easy character, but if a person argues with the person who can give him a sporting title it means he's a real, sincere person - a little crazy, perhaps, but sincere.

"Now my work is done and I go back to the only work I know how to do in football: that of the fan.

"We'll start from Serie D on pitches of earth and stone, and I'll go to see some games.

"Finally, I want to thank some people: Claudio Lotito, for his crash course on the world of football; then a President of a Serie D team; and finally everyone who is tied to Bari.

"De Laurentiis has said he wants someone on the new board who has been suggested by the city."