Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis has paid tribute to Italy coach Luciano Spalletti.

De Laurentiis has thanked Spalletti for leading them to the Scudetto last season.

"First of all, I thank Spalletti who managed to shape the working group like few others," he said.

"At the end of Spalletti's first year at Napoli, we took six key players away from him and replaced them. Of course there could have been some doubts, the fans told me in the summer, they were against me for having changed the six favourites.

"Spalletti was able to combine the before and after, and make the new players perform at their best. Napoli would like to win the Scudetto every year, but you already win by being Neapolitan."