Manchester City may have hoped to goad their Mezzogiorno opponents Napoli by wearing an away strip not dissimilar to that of strutting AC Milan (in a role reversal to England, northerners look down on southerners). That tactic failed as the amazing crowd at Stadio San Paolo exhorted their team to strain every sinew for the Napoli cause. What struck me most was such an atmosphere could be conjured in an arena with a running track. This gives the lie to Tottenham Hotspur’s PR that they had to demolish the Olympics athletics stadium in Stratford, replacing it with a purpose-built football home. West Ham’s supporters are probably one of the few such groups in the league pyramid who could transform the athletics forum into a crucible. Spurs were acknowledging that their fans just aren’t as passionate in their ability to achieve the same effect.