Transcript
Speaker: Welcome to the Italian football podcast. Just to finish off, we want to do a little profile on Stanislav Lebokka, Napoli central midfielder, who really over the last year, but especially I would say in 2022, he really has developed into
Speaker: I would say one of the top three central midfielders in Serie A. And he's now getting to the point where he's developing into one of the best in his role in all of Europe. He's a player that I absolutely adore watching. So, Nima, tell us a little bit more about La Boca. Well, he was born in Trenching in Slovakia. He's 27 now. He turns 28 on the 25th of November.
Speaker: He went to, he actually was part of, he was on loan at Ajax, their youth team. And he spent a season there before he went to a Danish team in August. And he was very, very successful there. Excuse me, he was Bevoted Player of the Year there during his first season.
Speaker: And then he was, you know, he was voted that again in 2017 before he moved to to Seltavigo signing that for them on a five -year deal. He stayed there for three years, three seasons, before Napoli signed him for 24 million euros on January 2020.
Speaker: I mean, he is, as you've seen, he's a regista. I think that's when he's at his best. And I think he's at his best when it's a three -man midfield. Spalletti's really unlocked and unleashed him ever since taking over Napoli. He's just improving and improving, similarly to what Spalletti did to
Speaker: to Brozovic, and Spalletti obviously calling him, you know, Napoli's Iniesta. Personally, I think he's more, like you said, you know, off -air, we both think he's more of a chavi than an Iniesta. Yeah, he's more of a chavi for me. He's in the chavi -varati mode. Those are the two players that he reminds me of.
Speaker: before his decline or his truss crisis in the last two years, up a mellow as well, like those kind of small diminutive, just so good at breaking the press and getting out of tight spaces and the little short passes and playing in a team that's comfortable in control of the ball. I mean, yeah, he's beautiful to watch.
Speaker: He really is, and now he's really coming to his right, isn't he, under Spaletti in this three -man midfield next to Zielinski and, of course, Angouissat. It's really interesting if you look at Napoli's 4 -3 -3s.
Speaker: under Sarri, with, you know, Alain, Hamchic, Giorginio, and now this midfield trio of Anguista Zielinski -Lobotka, they've successfully, you know, rejuvenated and rebuilt a new midfield trio. And it's really, it's an interesting one. I think that he might be one of those players that could leave Napoli, unfortunately.
Speaker: He's on the brink of signing a new contract at the moment, at least that protects him at the very least. Well, exactly. He seems very, very happy because his contract does expire in...
Speaker: in June 2024, if I'm not mistaken. So it's, you know, sorry, no, actually, it's June 30th, 2025. That expires. So that does protect them somewhat, but it could be given his age, he's 28 soon. It is we're heading into that territory where the Laurentiis starts to look around when he wants to cash in on you. But one another aspect and one, you know, another thing is also, I mean, in terms of off the pitch, he had a bit of a
Speaker: with the Slovakian national team. He was involved in October 2018 ahead of a game against Czech Republic in Sweden. There was quite the scandal when he, Dubravka, Shula, Skrinyar, Jomber, Shatka and Weiss, all they violated the code of conduct and that forced then national team called Jan Kojak to resign because he was furious with the third of the team violating
Speaker: the code of combat going to the, you know, leaving the hotel and going out ahead of those two fixtures. And of course, they both he apologized for it for his behavior. And, you know, since then, he's not had any disciplinary issues. And on a personal note note, he's also married to Slovakian pop star or Daniela Nislova, who was who was half of the Slovakian pop group twins.
Speaker: with two eyes who participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011. Two eyes? Yeah, twins. Are they called two eyes? No, twins. They're called twins with two eyes. With two eyes. Well, they've only got one eye each.
Speaker: No, not eyes, as in twins with two eyes in the word I, twins. T -W -I -I -N -S, not eyeballs. As far as I'm aware, they've got one pair of functioning eyeballs each. But they spell it twins with two eyes, T -W -I -I -N -S. And it's T -W, all caps, and then small I -I and N -S. And they represented Slovakia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011.
Speaker: Listen to the full show and all other episodes by going to patreon .com slash TIFP and become a member for only £2 .99 per month.
