ROME: The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli its second Serie A title in three years on Friday.
Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari.
Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams.
“Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.”
Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won at Juventus and one at Inter Milan — not to mention a Premier League title at Chelsea — Conte said it was “the most unexpected, the most difficult, and the most stimulating in terms of the challenge.”
Conte also noted how he had to try and convince players to stay when he arrived last June.
Napoli needed only to do the same or better than defending champion Inter in the final round of matches, so Inter’s 2-0 win at 10-man Como wasn’t enough for the Nerazzurri.
Napoli finished Serie A one point ahead of Inter.
The southern squad’s fourth Serie A title overall capped an impressive turnaround after the Partenopei finished 10th during a dismal title defense last season.
“The one two years ago was one we were for months, whereas this week we had so much anxiety, we couldn’t wait to get on the field and win this in front of our fans,” said winger Matteo Politano, who provided the cross for McTominay’s goal.
Diego Maradona led Napoli to its first two titles in 1987 and 1990. The 2023 team led by Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia clinched with five rounds to spare.
Inter was heading toward the title until McTominay went airborne to redirect a pass from Politano in the 42nd minute for his 12th goal this season after transferring from Manchester United.
“For me to come and experience this, it’s a dream,” McTominay said.
Lukaku, who was signed from Chelsea in August, controlled a long vertical pass and dribbled by two defenders before scoring in the 51st. It was his 14th goal along with his league-leading 10 assists.
Conte watched the match from the tribune after getting sent off last weekend. But he went down to the pitch at the final whistle and embraced Lukaku, with whom he also won Serie A at Inter in 2021.
McTominay dropped to the pitch in tears when the match finished. Minutes later he was honored as Serie A player of the season.
Napoli players held up signs that read “Again” featuring a “4” for the team’s fourth title.
Napoli fans began cheering and singing hours before kickoff at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona and erupted in celebration at the final whistle — including at jumbo screens that were set up in several of the city’s central piazzas.
Cagliari was already sure of avoiding relegation but goalkeeper Alen Sherri was inspired at the start, denying Napoli on multiple occasions early on.
While Napoli won by 16 points two years ago under Luciano Spalletti, this season was a duel with Inter virtually all season. It was also unexpected after Napoli went through three coaches last season – Rudi Garcia, Walter Mazzarri and Francesco Calzona.
But Conte constructed the best defense in Serie A, and brought in Lukaku and McTominay to play alongside holdovers from the 2023 team like captain Di Lorenzo, goalkeeper Alex Meret and midfielder Stanislav Lobotka.
Di Lorenzo matched Maradona by captaining Napoli to two titles.
It also helped that Napoli did not play in Europe this season — keeping the team fresher for Serie A.
Inter rested its starters
Defender Stefan de Vrij scored 20 minutes in for Inter, redirecting a corner kick with a bouncing header.
Como was reduced to 10 men when goalkeeper Pepe Reina was sent off at the end of the first half for a foul on Mehdi Taremi. It was Reina’s final game before retiring.
Joaquín Correa added another for Inter after the break in almost the same moment that Lukaku scored for Napoli.
Inter, which is also preparing for the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in eight days, rested most of its usual starters, including top strikers Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram.
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McTominay and Lukaku goals lead Napoli to Serie A title and Conte’s ‘most unexpected’ trophy
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McTominay and Lukaku goals lead Napoli to Serie A title and Conte’s ‘most unexpected’ trophy
- Napoli finished Serie A one point ahead of Inter
Iva Jovic received tips from Novak Djokovic, but those couldn’t help her against Sabalenka
- They helped until Tuesday when top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka defeated the 18-year-old American 6-3, 6-0 to end her run in Melbourne
- Predicted rankings published by the WTA showed her climbing to No. 20 — her highest spot
Iva Jovic has received playing tips throughout the Australian Open from Novak Djokovic. They worked very well until Tuesday, when top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka defeated the 18-year-old American 6-3, 6-0 to end her run at Melbourne Park.
“Hopefully throughout the year I can keep having more moments with him because it’s been amazing,” Jovic said of Djokovic, the star Serbian who has won 24 Grand Slam singles titles, 10 of them at the Australian Open.
But even Djokovic could not have saved Jovic against Sabalenka in the quarterfinal match.
To be fair, Jovic has been doing just fine on her own, rising quickly in the WTA rankings.
She finished 2024 ranked just inside the top 200. Predicted rankings published Tuesday by the WTA showed her climbing to No. 20 — her highest spot.
Jovic had a chance against Sabalenka in the first set. Sabalenka took a 3-0 lead, but Jovic stayed in the set and had three breakpoint chances in the ninth game trailing 5-3. She lost 6-3 and lost her momentum, losing the second set 6-0.
Jovic referred to a comment that she attributed to Andre Agassi speaking about Djokovic, noting his ability to change styles and keep opponents off balance.
She said Agassi compared Djokovic with “a boxer and the way that he’s going in for punches and then faking them out a little bit. I think the way (Djokovic) approaches the match is very impressive.”
Jovic is the California-born daughter of a Serbian father and Croatian mother who immigrated to the United States.
It was Jovic’s first appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal, but she seemed poised from the start.
“I think that I kind of went into the match obviously not knowing too much about how it was going to look like in person, having not really hit with her in the past,” Jovic said. “Our first meeting as well.”
“I kind of tried to just bring that middle ground, and I think I have to be able to adapt to the game and what’s necessary for different play styles. I wasn’t able to do that” against Sabalenka.
Jovic revealed her conversations with Djokovic earlier in the tournament. Djokovic confirmed he gave the young American some feedback, saying he was happy to help a player with Serbian heritage.
The 38-year-old Djokovic has stayed in touch.
“Yes, he did text me with some more tips throughout the rounds. I don’t even know what day it is anymore!” Jovic said. “So we’ve been in communication, and I feel like we’ve built a little bit of a relationship now, which is amazing, and I wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament.”
She plans to have more opportunities of her own at Grand Slams in the future.
‘It’s the quarterfinals but, you know, ultimately I hope to be in many quarterfinals,” she said. “So I don’t think this win or loss today is going to make or break my career.”
“Hopefully throughout the year I can keep having more moments with him because it’s been amazing,” Jovic said of Djokovic, the star Serbian who has won 24 Grand Slam singles titles, 10 of them at the Australian Open.
But even Djokovic could not have saved Jovic against Sabalenka in the quarterfinal match.
To be fair, Jovic has been doing just fine on her own, rising quickly in the WTA rankings.
She finished 2024 ranked just inside the top 200. Predicted rankings published Tuesday by the WTA showed her climbing to No. 20 — her highest spot.
Jovic had a chance against Sabalenka in the first set. Sabalenka took a 3-0 lead, but Jovic stayed in the set and had three breakpoint chances in the ninth game trailing 5-3. She lost 6-3 and lost her momentum, losing the second set 6-0.
Jovic referred to a comment that she attributed to Andre Agassi speaking about Djokovic, noting his ability to change styles and keep opponents off balance.
She said Agassi compared Djokovic with “a boxer and the way that he’s going in for punches and then faking them out a little bit. I think the way (Djokovic) approaches the match is very impressive.”
Jovic is the California-born daughter of a Serbian father and Croatian mother who immigrated to the United States.
It was Jovic’s first appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal, but she seemed poised from the start.
“I think that I kind of went into the match obviously not knowing too much about how it was going to look like in person, having not really hit with her in the past,” Jovic said. “Our first meeting as well.”
“I kind of tried to just bring that middle ground, and I think I have to be able to adapt to the game and what’s necessary for different play styles. I wasn’t able to do that” against Sabalenka.
Jovic revealed her conversations with Djokovic earlier in the tournament. Djokovic confirmed he gave the young American some feedback, saying he was happy to help a player with Serbian heritage.
The 38-year-old Djokovic has stayed in touch.
“Yes, he did text me with some more tips throughout the rounds. I don’t even know what day it is anymore!” Jovic said. “So we’ve been in communication, and I feel like we’ve built a little bit of a relationship now, which is amazing, and I wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament.”
She plans to have more opportunities of her own at Grand Slams in the future.
‘It’s the quarterfinals but, you know, ultimately I hope to be in many quarterfinals,” she said. “So I don’t think this win or loss today is going to make or break my career.”
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