Napoli Sizzle to the Top of Serie A, Outshining Rivals This Weekend
Napoli brought the heat this Saturday, cruising to a sizzling 3-0 victory over Fiorentina and snatching the top spot in Serie A. With their title rivals tangled up in the Italian Super Cup, the Partenopei made every moment count, showing off some serious football swagger.
Let’s talk highlights. David Neres kicked things off with a jaw-dropping solo goal in the 29th minute. It was one of those “rewind-worthy” moments you can’t stop watching. Not long after halftime, Romelu Lukaku coolly buried a penalty, and Scott McTominay sealed the deal with a silky smooth finish in the 68th. That’s how you put on a show, folks!
This win marks Napoli’s fourth on the bounce in Serie A. After last season’s title defence disaster, they’re returning with serious intent. Assistant coach Cristian Stellini told DAZN, “We’re proud of our actions. Having 44 points after 19 matches felt like a dream at the start of the season.”
But hold up! There’s a catch. Napoli has played more matches than Atalanta and Inter Milan, their closest challengers. Atalanta is three points behind with a game in hand, while Inter, trailing by four points, has two games to catch up. Both teams missed league action this weekend for the Super Cup showdown, where Inter faces AC Milan on Monday in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Atalanta will host Juventus on January 14, and Inter welcomes Bologna the following day. So, Napoli’s lead could be on shaky ground, depending on how those matches pan out.
As for Fiorentina? Things are looking rough. They’re sitting sixth, 12 points off the pace, and have lost three of their last four games. To make matters worse, they had a beauty of a goal from Moise Kean disallowed for handball just moments after Neres slalomed past their defence to score. Talk about adding salt to the wound!
What’s even more impressive? Napoli’s patchwork attack. With Matteo Politano and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia out, they threw in full-back Leonardo Spinazzola alongside Neres, and it worked like a charm. Fiorentina’s coach, Raffaele Palladino, summed it up perfectly: “They punished every little mistake we made. They deserved this win.”
Elsewhere, Venezia continues to flirt with disaster, sitting second-from-bottom after a 1-1 draw with Empoli. Fellow relegation fighters Verona will take their shot at climbing the table against Udinese.
