Because the most recent Serie A season had gone so badly for 2023 champions Napoli (10th place), the southern Italians had to play directly in the Coppa Italia – and came within a hair’s breadth of missing out on a must-win game
The entirety of the most recent 2023/24 season had nothing to do with the Napoli champions of a year earlier. The result was 10th place – the worst performance by a reigning Scudetto winner in Italian history.
That is why Antonio Conte – a genuine guarantee of success on the coaching bench – was brought in. But the 55-year-old can’t work magic either
Palumbo misses the bombshell
The Neapolitans’ performance in front of a home crowd at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Saturday evening to kick off their 2024/25 campaign had nothing to do with elegant, attack-minded, powerful soccer. Rather, the hosts often ran blindly, bounced off the orderly defense of the northern Italians and almost completely lacked big ideas.
There was nothing more than a Mazzocchi header (4th minute) and a Politano shot from distance (22nd), but the underdogs came within a whisker of making it 1:0. However, they failed twice after determined forays forward – once due to nerves with a far too harmless shot into goalkeeper Meret’s hands (21st), then with a flick on the top left of the aluminum (33rd).
Meret becomes the match winner
Whoever believed that the favourites had now turned the corner was mistaken. Although the Campanians became more pressing, the final My was missing. Above all, it became clear that the bustling Kvaratskhelia was unable to do everything on his own despite a number of attempted dribbles and that Napoli lacked a central striker in particular. Osimhen, who was willing to move, was missing, as was preferred candidate Lukaku
And so – after Simeone and Olivera missed their last chances – the penalty shoot-out had to be used. In this thriller, the Partenopei quickly found themselves behind after Cheddira made a poor save. However, SSC keeper Meret then saved two penalties before the end to save his Neapolitan team in the second round of the Coppa Italia. Conte was able to breathe a sigh of relief
