A resurgent Juventus are fast approaching in Napoli’s rear view mirrors but a win in their blockbuster clash would show the recent growth of Luciano Spalletti’s side, Apollo Heyes writes.
Napoli kicked off the campaign with lightening in their boots, flying to the top of the Serie A table and booking their place in the knock-out stages of the Champions League with ease, picking up impressive results like a 4-1 win over Liverpool and 6-1 thrashing away to Ajax. Entering the World Cup break, Napoli looked on track to win their first Scudetto since the days of Diego Maradona.
In stark contrast, Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus looked miles off the mark in the first half of this season. After nine games, the Old Lady were stuck languishing in the mid-table, sitting eighth with 13 points. Panic was starting to set in Turin and many started calling for Allegri’s head, wanting to see something new with the team.
Since then, Juventus have majorly turned things around, starting with their Derby della Mole win over Torino, which became the start of their eight-game win streak. The Bianconeri now sit hot on the heels of the league leaders, only seven points behind Napoli heading into their clash at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
This is almost a worst-case scenario for Napoli, who have painful memories of recent title challenges scuppered by the Old Lady. In the 2015-16 season, Maurizio Sarri’s first in charge, they finished second, nine points behind Juventus, and the following campaign saw them finish third.
The 2017-18 season saw Napoli’s best title challenge in decades and they finished the campaign with a club record 91 points. They lost the Scudetto in heartbreaking fashion, missing out by just four points following a long and difficult year. The following season was a little more disappointing, but they still finished runners up to Juventus.
Whilst the second half of this season is just kicking off, Napoli can pick up a vital Scudetto boost with a commanding win over Juventus, proving to themselves and their fans that this season is finally different, and won’t end with a black and white victory once again. Defeat, however, could see them slip into a vortex of anxiety and misery, seeing glimpses of recent demons.
It’d be nice to see Napoli win the league so Serie A can have its 4th different winner in 4 years.
The turgid football Allegri often serves out doesn’t reflect well on Serie A should they be champions again with a squad this weak.
I know most will think that I’m playing general after a war, given I’m reading & writing this after the match has ended, but it’s 110% truth that I had zero doubt over Napoli‘s win, and even dreamt it’d be well deserved & convincing, although not this much!
Cuz, I’ve seen almost all of those 8 wins by Rubentus, and they were pitiful and often lucky, all by 1-0 (or maybe one was different, but with the same 1 goal. difference), every time the same boring football, waiting for the concentration of the opponents to fall down and then press or create some action that will result in a goal! THAT’S HOW EACH & EVERY ONE OF THOSE 8 WINS WAS ACHIEVED! And let’s not forget that MAIMLY VS. TEAMS THAT ARE FIGHTING TO AVOID RELEGATION!
And. because of Napoli’s one lost against (that night, GREAT) Inter, someone thought that Rubentinos stand a. chance?!
You had to have been out of the mind to think that way (usually, only totally ignorant generation Z football fans & deluded Rubentino supporters would think).
Bravo Napoli, you’ve made. my night great, even as a Milan fan!