Scotland sports news correspondent
Getty Images“You aren’t ready for the party Naples will have tonight”.
SSC Napoli fans Francesco Giordano and Vincenzo Liberti have been up since before 07:00 this morning.
They’re nervous and excited ahead of one of their team’s biggest matches.
In this one club city, everyone is praying for the party that can only begin with one more victory. The victory that would see Napoli claim just their fourth Scudetto ever.
With one round of fixtures remaining, Antonio Conte’s side sit just a single point above serial winners Inter and so a nail-biting finale it is. Napoli host Cagliari and Inter travel to in-form Como.
Francesco tells Scotland news: “We are buzzing. We just can’t wait. We are just so passionate about it and can’t wait to experience this wonderful end of the season.
“If it happens, everybody is going to go bananas and it will be something you’ve never experienced.”
Vincenzo agrees and says a win will set of fireworks, adding: “You are not ready for what will happen tonight. It’s a party of the city not just the team.”
Down the narrow streets of the Spanish quarter, flags fly from balconies next to freshly washed laundry.
Blue and white ribbons and streamers have been stretched high across the streets of the shopping district and, in the old port, bunting flutters from the boats bobbing in the Mediterranean.
The Neapolitans are superstitious. Few here will give predictions for the match but what locals are happy to talk about is how two Scots have played an integral part in taking their side to the brink of glory – Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour.
Francesco said the pair made a big impression on the fans.
“They conquered our hearts,” he said. “Billy came in during difficult moments and played a crucial role throughout the whole season.
“Scott McTominay, we are lost for words for him. He is an unbelievable player and we just hope tonight he can conquer the final moment of the season and score for all of us.
“We are so passionate about it and the players absolutely felt that and once they settled and found their way they started to play well – they are wonderful.”
At the start of the season Scott McTominay signed from Manchester United for £25m. The club also secured the services of McTominay’s international team mate, Billy Gilmour from Brighton. Price tag – £12m.
Few could have predicted the impact they would make and the hero status that would follow.
Gilmour has played 25 games and is hailed in the city as the man who builds from the back and makes things happen.
McTominay has found the net 11 times in 33 appearances and is second only to Romalu Lukaku in terms of goals scored for Napoli this season.
He has also drawn level with Denis Law in the top ranked Scots in Serie A.
Law spent a season with Torino in 1963 and notched up 11 goals of his own before heading back to the UK.
“McTominay really is the story of Serie A this season,” said local football journalist Vincenzo Credendino.
“The people here can see how hard he works for the team and in this city that is so important.”
The love for McTimonay is such that his image adorns the walls of Naples next to the murals of the city’s favourite son, Diego Maradona.
The Scot even has a special shrine in Vico San Nicola al Nilo, and a nickname – “McFratm”.
Fratm is a colloquial term in this part of Italy that essentially translates to “bro”.
Nobody is quite sure who it was that added the Scottish “Mc” but when you mention the word McTominay in this city, people instantly smile and say “McFratm.” It seems it’s a nickname that’s set to stick.
The love for both players has come, not just from their abilities on the pitch and the part played in getting the club so close to Italian football’s promised land, but from their desire to be part of Neapolitan life.
In this fiercely proud part of Italy, Gilmour’s ability and desire to pick up the language and his fellow countryman’s much publicised love of the local tomatoes, means a lot here.
At Napoli, it’s about more than just kissing the badge.
“The Neapolitans and the Scots are similar, I think,” Vincenzo Credendino said. “Maybe it’s about both places having a history of resisting.
“But I think the people here can see that the players love Naples.
“They take many pictures around the city and talk openly about how much they love the food – that is very important here.”
Now, what both parties in this football love-in would like is for this story to end with the biggest celebration of all.
At one of football’s biggest clubs, two Scots are to be found at its beating heart.
If they deliver just once more this season and get Napoli over the line, both will be immortalised in a city where footballers are worshipped like gods.
