Khvicha Kvaratskhelia: The Napoli flyer with a Diego Maradona tag taking Serie A by storm
8-09-2022, 13:12

Font size: [ A+ ] / [ A- ]

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has scored four times in five Serie A games

Expectation does not come much greater than being nicknamed after your club's most iconic ever player, especially when that player is Diego Maradona and the adoring fans are those in the Italian city of Naples.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's arrival may not have sparked the same feverish hype as El Diego's transfer from Barcelona 38 years ago, but a blistering start to life in Serie A has stirred excitement and even seen the winger dubbed 'Kvaradona'.

Kvaratskhelia spoke about the responsibility of being mentioned alongside Maradona and what the Argentine meant to the club when he signed, albeit admitting he liked the nickname.

"I can't come close to Maradona but I will give my all to be a big player for this club," he added.

The 21-year-old already looks a snip of a signing at £9m, arriving following a short spell with Georgian side Dinamo Batumi where he scored eight goals in 11 games after his contract with Russian side Rubin Kazan was suspended because of the invasion of Ukraine.

On Wednesday, he is likely to make his Champions League debut when Napoli host Liverpool at Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

"His Italian career started off the way probably no one really expected," Georgian football writer Luka Lagvilava tells BBC Sport.

"Even during the pre-season he looked well accustomed to the system, which for a player signed just weeks before the friendlies seemed quite surprising.

"Obviously the opening couple of games in the Serie A were a joy, especially considering his output in the final third which definitely brings loads of hope and promise."

Kvaratskhelia, like Maradona, made his Serie A debut against Verona - though unlike the Argentine, he played a key role in a 5-2 win with a goal and an assist.

Things got even better for the Georgian when he scored twice on his home debut against Monza a week later, one a superb curling, right-footed strike from distance.

"It was an amazing revelation, we did not expect it - it was a great surprise to us and that is the best kind of surprise," says Kirsten Schlewitz, author of More than Maradona and part of the Far From Vesuvius podcast.

With club legends Lorenzo Insigne, Kalidou Koulibaly and Dries Mertens all leaving, Kvaratskhelia is part of a Napoli rebuild that has also seen centre-back Kim Min-Jae, midfielders Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Tanguy Ndombele, and forwards Giovanni Simeone and Giacomo Raspadori join Luciano Spalletti's squad.

"It was more about mourning the players we lost rather than being excited, because to us it was young no-name players and we were losing really established well-known players who have been with us since the Maurizio Sarri days," explains Schlewitz.

"I was sceptical when Spalletti came on board because I thought he was very old school, but this idea of putting together this new, young, fun squad where the players will be given the chance to all grow together is really important."

 

 

Both Kvaratskhelia and Maradona faced Verona on their Napoli debuts, 38 years apart

 

Kvaratskhelia is perhaps the most intriguing of Napoli's arrivals because of his distinct ball-carrying approach and ability to change games - predominantly operating off the left, he has attempted 6.58 dribbles per 90 minutes so far in the Italian top flight and made a goal contribution every 60 minutes.

In Saturday's 2-1 victory at Lazio, he almost scored his best goal yet, rifling a strike against the post from range after gliding past his marker with a delightful 'Maradona' turn, only to then grab the winner with a thumping strike in the second half.

"I invited him up to my house for a cup of tea on the afternoon he signed the contract," said Spalletti, after Kvaratskhelia's match-winning performance.

"He is able to control any ball and make it clean, he has this very shy way of doing things, he never wants to be the centre of attention, but when he plays football, he is so confident."

Spalletti suggested earlier this season his winger was "still getting loosened up" but the precocious talent seems to be fully unshackled now, having been crowned August's Serie A player of the month.

"He loves to dribble, loves to dribble with his head down… which can be a little unnerving," adds Schlewitz. "But you can definitely see an excitement about him, a joy in what he is doing.

"At the same time he is definitely focused. For me, it is all about intelligence in a footballer and I don't mean speaking in front of a press conference, but reading the game.

"While he may not have everything in order yet, he is so young. He has time to grow and Spalletti has a definite system he wants to keep in place - Kvara will fit in and continue to learn and further refine his intelligence and abilities in that way."

 

The Georgian Lionel Messi?

 

Kvaratskhelia's father, Badri, played internationally for Azerbaijan and Khvicha was part of a talented group of players to come through the Dinamo Tbilisi academy, several of whom are now in the national team.

Lagvilava says it was fellow winger Zuriko Davitashvili - another player to join Dinamo Batumi in March - who was deemed the bigger prospect, though Davitashvili now refers to his international team-mate as the 'Georgian Messi', sparking comparisons to a second Argentine great.

"Khvicha definitely stepped it up after his move to Rubin in 2019," says Lagvilava.

"For people who follow youth football, he was a well-known name but nobody probably expected such big progress in the amount of time he needed to."

Kvaratskhelia has also impressed on the international stage for Georgia, scoring eight times in 19 games since making his debut in June 2019, including goals against Spain and Greece and two in a World Cup qualifying win over Sweden.

"For the locals here, he's been the main talking-point regarding the future of our team the past two and a half years," adds Lagvilava.

"When it comes to his so-called 'legacy' he has all the tools and the environment to become the greatest Georgian player to ever play the game.

"His numbers for the national team also have a great goal to game ratio and if he keeps it up, he's likely to top that chart.

"It all comes down if he'll be able to win some trophies abroad and, obviously, him staying healthy enough."

 

BBC

Comments: 454
#454   Elyse
      
References:


Casinos that accept neosurf australia https://bridgedesign.space
Today, 03:47
#453   Trina
      
References:


Neosurf casino payment method neosurf
casino australia review
Today, 00:39
#452   Felicitas
      
References:


Neosurf casino promo codes australia 27vlz.ru

Dieses Verfahren dient für Sie als zusätzliche Sicherheitsmaßnahme.
Trustly ist ein schwedisches Fintech-Unternehmen,
das 2008 gegründet wurde und sich auf direkte
Bankzahlungen ohne Umwege über Wallets oder Kreditkarten spezialisiert hat.
Als ebenfalls bankbasierte Alternative kommt die Einzahlung per Sofortüberweisung
in Betracht. Wer ein Angebot zur ersten Einzahlung nutzen möchte, findet die passenden Konditionen in der Übersicht zum Willkommensbonus für neue
Spieler. Für die Nutzung im Casino fallen bei GGL-lizenzierten Anbietern in der Regel keine
Trustly-Gebühren an. Eine separate Registrierung oder ein zusätzliches Konto sind nicht
nötig, da trustly casino deutschland direkt auf
das bestehende Bankkonto zugreift.
5 November 2026 02:03
#451   Traci
      
Your phone number, email, or ABN acts as a unique identifier, which then helps to provide
a record for your account and an easy route for people to send you money.
Some deposits and withdrawals may take more time than average 60 seconds, but it is currently one of the fastest payment methods.
Our expertly curated list of the best online pokies Australia PayID casinos ensures you enjoy top-tier PayID
pokies Australia with generous bonuses, high-RTP games, and robust responsible gambling tools.
PayID withdrawal casino Australia
platforms process payouts instantly or within 1–3 hours,
earning them the title of best online casino PayID withdrawal Australia.
4 November 2026 21:30
#450   Yukiko
      
4 November 2026 19:49
#449   Lashay
      
As a low-budget player, I like a neosurf casino australia
option when it lets me start small, stay in control, and still get a decent night of play.
A neosurf deposit casino is convenient, but safety still starts
with regulation, not payment speed. I feel safer with neosurf
casinos australia real money play only when licence details are visible, withdrawal terms are plain, and identity checks
happen early. So when I look at a neosurf casino australia option, I check which operator licence sits behind it before
sending real money. For me, neosurf casino australia is appealing because
it lets me deposit with a set amount and walk away
if needed. Better limit settings, sharper mobile access, and private support for payment questions would matter
more to me than another "mega" offer with tiny print.
4 November 2026 14:03
#448   Quyen
      
References:


Trustly Casino Erfahrungen Trustly Einzahlungslimit
Casino
4 November 2026 13:29
#447   Silvia
      
References:


Online casino australia payid pokies.net australia payid
4 November 2026 07:18
#446   Monica
      
References:


Neosurf casino promo code australia
casino neosurf
4 November 2026 06:24
#445   Alysa
      
This type of payment option allows you to send funds directly from your bank
or financial institution into the casino’s account without any middleman involved.
When depositing with this payment option, players should always
read up on the rules regarding their specific casino’s requirements before sending money.
Finally, always remember to gamble responsibly
no matter what payment method you use – set limits
on both deposits and losses so that things don’t get
out of hand too quickly! wire transfer casino deposit
bonus Australia
transfers usually have specific guidelines that you should be aware of before attempting one.
Having access to these resources allows you to determine if a casino is reputable and trustworthy based on past performance and current regulations.
Depending on the casino, these will vary greatly, so it is important to
understand which casinos offer the best deals in terms
of both speed and cost.
3 November 2026 03:49
#444   Cheryle
      
Auch im Vergleich zu anderen Zahlungsmethoden kann sich die Sofortüberweisung als
solide präsentieren. Der Zahlungsdienst ist für jeden deutschen Spieler verfügbar.
Vieles spricht dafür, im Casino Sofortüberweisung als Zahlungsoption zu nutzen. Darüber hinaus können für Auszahlungen Gebühren erhoben werden.
Konkret sollten Sie zum Beispiel den erforderlichen Mindestbetrag für die Ein- und Auszahlungen prüfen. Bevor Sie eine Auszahlung abwickeln, sollten Sie diese prüfen.

References: weberberg.de
1 November 2026 16:16
#443   Elmer
      
References:


Mobile casino MiFinity Australia https://pad.multiplace.org/sddz7FiPTRqChrTBuNR7NA
30 October 2026 12:33
#442   Ingeborg
      
References:


MiFinity casino reload bonus https://onlinevetjobs.com/author/chieftrunk50/
29 October 2026 21:34
#441   Zack
      
References:


Best neosurf casinos australia australian neosurf casinos
29 October 2026 10:14
#440   Dirk
      
References:


Offshore casinos accepting MiFinity Australia
MiFinity jackpot pokies
29 October 2026 07:54
#439   Gayle
      
References:


Bank transfer online pokies australia pad.multiplace.org
28 October 2026 11:19
#438   Precious
      
References:


Payid pokies real money no deposit https://pad.stuve.de/rRXeAFkOT6COUyuD8wSP5g
28 October 2026 02:06
#437   Cathy
      
References:


Neosurf casinos for australian players https://gitlab.oc3.ru
27 October 2026 12:40
#436   Marcia
      
References:


Bpay pokies instant withdrawal twinevault06.bravejournal.net
27 October 2026 11:23
#435   Hai
      
References:


Online pokies BPay legit
BPay casinos Australia
27 October 2026 06:48
Add Comments

Name:*
E-Mail:
  Geo Keyboard  
 

Dear reader, guardian.ge welcomes your comments. Please express your views on topic and be respectful of others.

bold italic underline strike | align left centered align right | Ensert smilies insert linkInsert protected URL Choice the color | hidden text insert quote Convert selected text from transliteration to Cyrillic alphabet Insert spoiler

Code: *


Back1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 23Next