Napoli bid farewell to the Champions League amid bitter applause from Maradona. On the final day of the league phase, the Azzurri lost 3-2 to Chelsea, missing out on the playoffs, at the end of a thrilling match filled with upsets and regrets.
The English side broke the deadlock in the 19th minute, when Enzo Fernandez converted the penalty awarded for a handball by Juan Jesus. The start was shocking, but the Neapolitan team's reaction was immediate and furious. In the 33rd minute, Vergara created a goal worthy of a cinematic classic: tight control in the box, a mistimed pass, and a precise diagonal shot that leveled the scoreline. Maradona ignited, and Napoli rode the wave of emotion, completing the lead just before halftime with Hojlund, who quickly slotted in Olivera's low cross from the left.
With a 2-1 lead at halftime, the Azzurri were close to dreaming of a European night to remember. In the second half, however, Chelsea upped the tempo and quality. In the 61st minute, Joao Pedro found the perfect opening from the edge of the box and unleashed a powerful right-footed shot that gave Meret no chance. It was the goal that changed the momentum of the match and dampened some of the enthusiasm in the stands.
Napoli tried to cling to the game, but were exposed to England's counterattacks. The final blow came late on the counterattack: Joao Pedro, once again cool in front of goal, scored the 3-2 victory, securing Chelsea's direct passage to the round of 16 and the Azzurri's definitive elimination.
Tension erupted last night in Naples, immediately following the Napoli-Chelsea match at the Maradona Stadium, which sealed the Azzurri's exit from the Champions League with a 3-2 victory for the Londoners. Around 1:00 a.m., two groups of ultras, one Neapolitan and the other related to the fans...
Antonio Conte is bitter but undaunted. After the defeat against Chelsea and the team's exit from the Champions League, the Napoli coach praises his team's performance and clearly identifies the outcome of the match. "The finishing made the difference. They were more clinical and more precise, and João Pedro made the difference. He's a truly important player for Chelsea."
Despite the elimination, the judgment on the race remains positive. "We're still proud and satisfied, despite half the team being out, we played, if not on par, better than them in my opinion, we deserved much better." Regret, however, also looks back at the European path. "It's a shame because the regret is for Copenhagen, we were winning and that's the game that condemned us."
After the 3-2 defeat against Chelsea that cost Napoli elimination from the Champions League, Giovanni Di Lorenzo is not looking for excuses and points the finger at the Azzurri's European campaign. «Maradona's applause at the end of the match? They are always with us regardless of the result, but we knew that. We wanted to win tonight and play a great match. It's a shame, but we certainly didn't lose tonight.»
The Italian defender acknowledges the value of the performance against the English, but broadens his gaze to previous matches. «We made too many mistakes along the way, we dropped too many points, it's a shame because tonight despite the result we played an excellent match, we tried to keep the pace high and put pressure on them, it's a shame about the result».
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (2)
Even though Napoli lost, I saw many positive moments in their game. They fought until the end, and that's important. I just hope they can learn from this experience and improve.
It was a tough start for Napoli. You could see they wanted to win, but unfortunately they didn't manage it. The goals were nice, but they weren't enough to advance. I hope next year goes better.