Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti is happy to have kept hold of Marek Hamsik this season.

Hamsik was close to leaving this summer, but Carletto convinced him to stay.

“I knew he had this offer to go away, so I explained to him that he was an important player and I would like it if he stayed," Ancelotti explained.

“I told him I wanted to change his role, and maybe that's what convinced him to stay: he wanted to try something new."

Ancelotti also paid tribute to predecessor Maurizio Sarri.

“The land wasn't just well ploughed, there was already luxuriant grass. The work Sarri did has been of fundamental importance."