NAPLES, Italy: Napoli can finally end a 33-year wait for the Serie A title on Sunday when they take on Salernitana with potentially one more win enough to take them over the line.
Authorities in Naples are steeling themselves for a wave of partying should the current crop of stars emulate Diego Maradona and seal a third Scudetto for Napoli, with fans ready to unleash an explosion of joy after three decades of pent-up frustration.
In order to win the league a record-breaking six matches before the end of the season, Napoli have to hope closest challengers Lazio do not to win at Inter Milan in Sunday’s early kick-off.
Luciano Spalletti’s side will then seal the deal if they beat Salernitana in what will be a colorful stadium named after their Argentine icon.
Whether it comes on Sunday, midweek against Udinese or the following weekend against Fiorentina, Spalletti says Napoli need to emulate icon Diego Maradona, the talisman behind their previous two titles in 1987 and 1990, and give fans the chance to let loose in southern Italy’s biggest city over May Day weekend.
“It’s above all about them who we should be thinking about... Let’s think about them because they’ve had the joy of watching a group of committed players who give everything for them,” added Spalletti.
“They have shown a lot for us, and have been really important in us having such an exciting end of season.”
The match with Salernitana was pushed back a day as a security measure due to a number of other events happening in the city, including a major comic book convention being held all weekend a stone’s throw from the Stadio Maradona.
The decision angered Salernitana owner Danilo Iervolino, who told the Gazzetta Dello Sport on Saturday that it “sets a very dangerous precedent.”
Iervolino is livid as his team, who are not safe from relegation, have one day less to prepare for Wednesday’s home match with Fiorentina.
“No-one has thought about our needs,” said Iervolino.
“The dignity of one team has been trampled on in favor of another team’s... I hope it never happens again.”
With a 17-point lead at the top there is next to no chance of Napoli not winning the league, even if it doesn’t come this weekend.
As such, Naples has been raring to party for weeks, with flags, banners and cardboard cutouts of players dotted around the city that is preparing for an invasion of supporters from all over Italy.
Enthusiasm is such that some fans have even floated the idea of celebrating by setting off a small artillery’s worth of flares on the summit of Mount Vesuvius to simulate an eruption of Europe’s last remaining active volcano.
Opposition supporters often insult Naples and Neapolitans with offensive chants about Vesuvius “washing with fire” the city, taunts that Napoli fans have reappropriated and thrown back at their rivals.
The plan has been blasted by the Vesuvius National Park Authority, who called the idea “dangerous and not feasible” and asked local authorities to stop any intrusion on the volcano’s fragile ecosystem.
Napoli ready to end long wait for Italian title
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Napoli ready to end long wait for Italian title
- Luciano Spalletti’s side will then seal the deal if they beat Salernitana in what will be a colorful stadium named after their Argentine icon
Bournemouth snap Liverpool’s unbeaten run to up pressure on Slot
- Goals from Evanilson and Alex Jimenez put the home side in a commanding position
- Defeat will intensify the scrutiny on Liverpool boss Arne Slot
BOURNEMOUTH, UK: Bournemouth ended Liverpool’s 13-game unbeaten run as Amine Adli’s 95th minute strike secured a thrilling 3-2 win for the Cherries on Saturday.
Goals from Evanilson and Alex Jimenez put the home side in a commanding position but Liverpool hit back through Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai to level.
However, Bournemouth won for just the second time in 15 matches after Adli fired in with virtually the last kick of the game.
Defeat will intensify the scrutiny on Liverpool boss Arne Slot with the Reds likely to fall outside of the Premier League’s top four after Sunday’s fixtures.
Slot, who guided Liverpool to Premier League glory last season, had steadied the ship after a run of nine defeats in 12 games earlier in the campaign.
But the Dutchman has attracted criticism for Liverpool’s uninspiring performances, even during their unbeaten run, and they are now winless in five league games.
The Reds put in a commanding performance to beat Marseille 3-0 and close in on the Champions League last 16 in midweek.
But they again struggled when faced with the rigours of breaking down a Premier League defense after gifting the Cherries a 2-0 lead.
The visitors dominated the ball throughout, but were made to pay for two defensive lapses in seven first-half minutes.
Van Dijk was too casual as he tried to flick Marcos Senesi’s ball over the top behind for a corner and Alex Scott pounced to cross for Evanilson to hammer home.
In trying to prevent the goal, Joe Gomez picked up an injury to further deplete Liverpool’s already threadbare options at center-back.
The visitors were down to 10 men as Wataru Endo waited to replace Gomez when Bournemouth doubled their lead.
Milos Kerkez was caught sleeping on his return to the Vitality Stadium to allow Jimenez to sneak in behind and slot in his first Bournemouth goal.
Van Dijk atoned for his previous error to begin the Liverpool fightback when he headed in Szoboszlai’s corner.
- Reward for positivity -
Andy Robertson replaced Kerkez at half-time despite being linked with a move to Tottenham before the transfer window closes in just over a week’s time.
Liverpool had little to show for their domination of the ball in the second period until Szoboszlai’s strike sparked a wild finale.
The Hungarian slotted a free-kick under the Marseille wall on Wednesday and this time used a flick from Cody Gakpo to work an angle to blast into the far corner.
Almost straight from kick-off, Liverpool needed Alisson Becker to produce a brilliant save from Ryan Christie to prevent Bournemouth retaking the lead.
Evanilson then wasted a glorious chance to win the game when the Brazilian slotted wide with just Alisson to beat.
Bournemouth could also have lost it when goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic made a fine save to prevent Florian Wirtz from finding the bottom corner.
But Andoni Iraola’s men were rewarded for going for the win when Adli smashed in from a narrow angle after Liverpool failed to clear a long throw.
Victory lifts Bournemouth up to 13th and 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
