Position: 1st
Points: 90
Position: 3rd, 79 points
Best Serie A scorer: Victor Osimhen, 26 goals in 32 Serie A appearances
Rating: 10/10
Season overview
Napoli steamrollered through everyone in their path to claim an entirely unexpected and dominant third Scudetto. Weakened by the departures of captain Lorenzo Insigne, defensive stalwart Kalidou Koulibaly and iconic forward Dries Mertens the Partenopei were written off before the season began. Yet coach Luciano Spalletti seamlessly integrated new additions Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Kim Min-jae, Giacomo Raspadori and Giovanni Simeone into a team which claimed a first title in 33 years by playing a high-pressing, aesthetically pleasing style. Striker Victor Osimhen stayed healthy to score regularly, while captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo provided inspiration at the back and Stanislav Lobotka and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa dominated the midfield. Napoli climbed to the top of the table in the seventh game of the season after defeating reigning champions Milan at San Siro and stayed there for the rest of a historic campaign.
Turnaround moment
When Napoli thrashed old rivals Juventus 5-1 at Stadio Diego Maradona in January they surged nine points clear at the top of the classifica and never looked back. While it didn’t quite seal the Scudetto it sent an almighty message to the Partenopei’s faltering rivals. Spalletti’s team stunned the Bianconeri in an epic dismantling that stood out not just for the emphatic scoreline but the manner in which they sauntered to victory. Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia both scored in an intense first half as Angel Di Maria pulled one back for Juve before the break. Napoli were at their relentless best in the second period as Amir Rrahmani, Osimhen and Elif Elmas added three more to seal a memorable, season-defining victory.
The coach – Luciano Spalletti
Spalletti’s forward-thinking philosophy produced scintillating football and stunning results. The 64-year-old won the Scudetto for the first time in his 29-year coaching career in thrilling fashion at Napoli. In a much-repeated quote, he spoke of spaces, not systems and placed an emphasis on entertainment. Yet his team ran with the stamina and commitment of Olympic athletes to smother opponents into submission.
Disciplined, devastating and always exciting to watch, Spalletti achieved what many thought was impossible: a third title after a tortuous 30-year wait to emulate the Diego Maradona-driven championship sides of 1987 and 1990. Spalletti afforded creative freedom to wing magician Kvaratskhelia and elevated Osimhen to new heights as captain Di Lorenzo and Kim anchored the defence and Lobotka excelled at the base of the midfield.
Player of the Season – Victor Osimhen
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen transformed into a one-man human highlight reel as he captured the Capocannoniere crown in an unforgettable campaign. The man in the mask dispelled any doubts about his consistency and fitness as he scored every type of goal imaginable in a season for the ages. Deployed as a lone attacker in Spalletti’s ultra-attacking 4-3-3- formation, the 24-year-old showcased every aspect of his game as he pressed defences relentlessly and scored jaw-dropping goals. His link-up play with Kvaratskhelia was something to behold as the duo connected immediately to tear apart Serie A defences in thrilling style.
Disappointing player of the Season – Hirving Lozano
There were few real failures in a Napoli side which swept to a memorable third Serie A success but Hirving Lozano rarely made the most of his opportunities on the right wing. Outshone by first-team rival Matteo Politano and overshadowed by the incredible debut season of Kvaratskhelia on the other flank, the Mexican often failed to sparkle as the Partenopei surged to the title. Lozano never looked fully comfortable in a side set up to attack on the channels and despite his electric pace tended to overcomplicate things at critical moments.
@SKasiewicz