Despite earlier speculation surrounding potential candidates such as Christophe Galtier, the manager of Paris Saint-Germain, and former Spain coach Luis Enrique, it is Garcia who has ultimately been selected to fill the Napoli managerial role previously occupied by Spalletti. The club confirmed Garcia's appointment through a concise statement on their official website, refraining from divulging the specifics of his contract duration.
Following the announcement of Garcia as the new boss, president Aurelio De Laurentiis expressed his satisfaction by tweeting,
Garcia also shared his reaction on Twitter after being appointed, saying,
Just two months ago, Garcia left his position as the head coach of Al-Nassr, in the Saudi pro league.
During his time in Saudi Arabia, Garcia had the opportunity to coach Cristiano Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner. His team, Al-Nassr, finished second in the Saudi Pro League, just four points behind the champions, Al-Ittihad. Before that, Garcia had managed teams in France, including Marseille and Lyon from 2016 to 2021.
He came close to winning the Europa League with Marseille in the 2017-18 season, but they ended up as runners-up to Atletico Madrid. One of Garcia's most successful seasons as a coach was with Lille in the 2010-11 campaign when he won the Ligue 1 title and the Coupe de France. He was recognized as the Manager of the Season for his achievements.
Garcia's previous experience in Italy was a two-and-a-half-year stint with Roma. During his time there, he won 61 games, drew 34, and lost 23 out of the 118 matches he was in charge of. However, he was sacked in October 2016 and replaced by Spalletti.
Napoli will be in Pot 1 for the group-stage draw of the upcoming Champions League season and is considered one of the favorites to compete for the Scudetto title again. Garcia is now preparing for a busy summer transfer window, as there are uncertainties surrounding the futures of several key players, including Victor Osimhen and Kim Min-jae.
