President Aurelio De Laurentiis is reportedly trying to sue Napoli players for damages to the club’s image, docking half their salary.
The open warfare between club and squad drags on after the team refused to go back into a training retreat, interrupting the week-long stay several days early.
Ever since then, Napoli have been in lockdown mode, banning their players from speaking to the media.
This was only reiterated last night when Napoli released a statement via their Twitter feed warning Eljif Elmas will be punished for giving an interview while on international duty with Macedonia.
“SSC Napoli can confirm that Eljif Elmas spoke to the press without the club’s authorisation during the current media blackout. SSC Napoli therefore reserves the right to take action against the player.”
This statement was greeted with shock and concern in Naples, as fans and media fear the club will implode if it continues to openly clash with its team.
Now Tuttosport claim President Aurelio De Laurentiis has been discussing options with his lawyers for punishing the Napoli players.
There are limits on how much a player’s salary can be docked – 25 per cent – but it’s reported Napoli are appealing to the authorities to make that up to 50 per cent.
They would also try to withhold image rights payments, claiming their ‘mutiny’ damaged the standing of the club on a national and international level.
Such a course of action could well mean going through the civil courts rather than the sporting justice system.