It’s a big welcome back to Nathan as he embarks on a new save. Last week we had the tragic news that the world had lost one of the greatest players ever to play the game. Here, Nathan pays homage to a legend with a new save in Naples…

Hello Everyone and welcome to my new blog save. As I am sure you are all well aware we lost one of the greatest (perhaps the greatest??) footballers to ever play the game when Diego Armando Maradona sadly passed away at the age of 60. He was both loved and hated, sometimes both at the same time, who lit up any stadium he graced. Whilst his off field life wasn’t exactly brilliant on the pitch I don’t think anyone could argue with his raw, natural talent.

When I was growing up the only two players thought of as the greatest of all time were Pele & Maradona. Although I had never seen Maradona play he was the player my dad told me was the greatest ever, as well as being a massive cheat. The game that sums this up better than any is of course the infamous game against England at the 1986 World Cup Finals. The “Hand of God” was one of the most blatant bits of cheating ever seen but Maradona’s 2nd goal in that game is considered the best ever at a World Cup Finals.

For this blog I have made Maradona a fresh faced 21 year old and placed him back where he was most famous and at his absolute best at Napoli. In Naples there is no one bigger or better than Maradona. He came to Napoli and turned them into 2 time Serie A champions which cemented his god like status in that region of Italy. The aim here is to replica that achievement and maybe more. So let’s have a look at young Diego.

He has all the right stats in all the right places and he is head and shoulders above the rest of the team.

A lot of work to be done defensibly here.

God arrives. As do these two defenders.

Delighted with both these signings as they are a big upgrade on what is available.

We get one more in the door to complete our new look defence for the season.

First game then of the new Maradona era and we are in Coppa Italia action away against Serie B Monza.

Diego!! Diego!! Diego!! What a performance! Bellucci opens the scoring with a well taken strike in the 8th min. It then turns into the Diego show. He pounces on a rebound from a Protti shot before skipping past his marker and lifting his shot over Abbiati. Protti then gets a derserved goal before Maradona sets up Bellucci for his second. Monza get a consolation but this was all about Maradona.

Next up is the opening game of Serie A and we have to wait for Maradona’s home game as we are away to Brescia.

What a sucker punch this one is. Goretti gets sent off which is possibly the worst position in this formation to lose a man. We struggle to make head way but we take the lead after a big scramble in the box it’s Maradona who gets the final shot into the back of the net. In the second half we drop deeper and deeper and Hubner gets the equaliser. I’m ready to settle for a point when Blomberg hits a pass short and Barollo flies in and guts us with an 89th minute winner.

That’s it for this update. Diego has arrived to mass hysteria and so far he is living up to the hype. Join me next time to see if Diego can lead us up the table.