NAPOLI fans created a spectacular ‘wall of fire train’ in tribute to Diego Maradona, the club’s greatest ever player, on Wednesday night.
The Argentine legend died earlier this week after suffering heart failure in his sleep at the age of 60.
Napoli fans turned the streets of their city into a ‘wall of fire’ with flares in tribute to Diego Maradona
Fans lit flares all throughout the streets in tribute to the fallen legendCredit: The Mega Agency
Diego Maradona was Napoli’s greatest-ever playerCredit: Alamy Live News
Tributes have flocked in from around the globe but none have been quite as jaw-dropping as the one in Naples on Thursday evening.
Thousands of fans poured onto the streets of the city ahead of Napoli’s Europa League clash at home to Rijeka.
And they linked up in perfect formation to set off flares, engulfing the streets in sea of red smoke.
Incredible aerial footage shows Naples turn red on game-night – with Napoli running out 2-0 winners in a fitting tribute to the man who breathed football.
⚠️ Read our Diego Maradona death live blog for the latest news & updates
On Thursday, all schools in Naples were closed in honour of Maradona.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis even admitted he could rename the San Paolo stadium after Maradona too.
Fans flooded into the streets of the city’s Spanish Quarters, many of them lighting a candle beneath a huge mural of the Argentine in his sky-blue jersey.
And on Thursday night, the city – and club – continued the outpouring of emotion.
Naples was engulfed in a sea of red smoke ahead of their team’s Europa League clash with Rijeka
Maradona’s face was shown on a big screen throughout Napoli’s game on ThursdayCredit: AP:Associated Press
All Napoli players wore a No10 jersey in honour of Maradona before kick-off against RijekaCredit: EPA
Before kick-off, star player Lorenzo Insigne laid flowers outside the San Paolo stadium.
On the pitch, all Napoli players wore Maradona’s iconic No10 jersey for the minute’s silence ahead of the Rijeka clash.
The legend’s picture was beamed onto giant screens inside the arena, as well.
Napoli also posted an emotional statement online, saying that the city will love Maradona ‘forever’.
It read: “Diego, Unique and Immense Love. If the world is mourning the greatest player of all time, Naples celebrates a son, a friend, a father and a brother tonight.
“Diego, Unique and Immense Love. The Champion, the Star Player, the Idol, The King, the unrepeatable Genius of the Blue Universe who gave us an Eternal Dream.
“Thank you for the emotions, for the happiness, for the splendour, for your huge heart that will never stop beating.
“You have risen once again from the Earth to enter the Legend.
“You beat death to consign yourself to the Myth. And now, Diego, take us back with you to Heaven.
“This is your city, this is your home, this is your people, this is your people.
“Diego, Unique and Immense Love . Naples will love you forever!”
Maradona led Napoli to two Serie A titles and one Uefa Cup during his seven seasons at the club, scoring 115 goals in 259 games.
Lorenzo Insigne lays flowers for Napoli legend Diego Maradona ahead of Europa League clash with Rijeka
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
