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Tag: Napoli

  • Serie A: Juve sees defeat in first game since Ronaldo exit

    Serie A: Juve sees defeat in first game since Ronaldo exit

    Juventus remain without a victory this season after they lost to Napoli in the side’s first game since Cristiano Ronaldo left for Manchester United.

    Ronaldo, who helped Juventus win Serie A twice in three seasons, rejoined United in a £12.8m deal on transfer deadline day and scored twice for them in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Newcastle.

    In Ronaldo’s absence, ex-Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata gave Juve an early lead, but goals from Matteo Politano and Kalidou Koulibaly helped Napoli come from behind to win.

    Koulibaly’s winner came with five minutes to go after an error from Moise Kean, playing for Juventus for the first time since completing a two-year loan move from Everton.

    Kean had only been on the pitch for three minutes and nearly scored an own goal with a misplaced header from a corner before Koulibaly converted the rebound, after goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny could only parry Kean’s header.

    Juventus, who came fourth in 2020-21, have only picked up one point from their opening three Serie A matches.

    Napoli are top of the league with nine points from three games, although they will lose top spot if Lazio, Roma, Inter Milan or AC Milan win on Sunday.

    Napoli play away at Leicester City in their Europa League opener on Thursday but may be without Italy striker Lorenzo Insigne after he injured himself while taking a corner and had to be replaced.

  • Osimhen will learn from red card incident – UEFA Vice President

    Osimhen will learn from red card incident – UEFA Vice President

    UEFA Vice President Zbigniew Boniek says Victor Osimhen will learn from his sending off during Napoli’s first game in the new Serie A season at the weekend.

    Referee Gianluca Aureliano showed Osimhen a straight red card in the 23rd minute after he was adjudged to have shoved Venezia midfielder Daan Heymans before a corner kick was taken.

    As a result of the straight red card, Osimhen will be expected to miss Napoli’s next two Serie A matches against Genoa and Juventus, on August 29 and September 11.

    However, in a chat with Radio Kiss Kiss, Boniek urged the Nigerian international to always keep his cool and focus more on the game.

    “The expulsion of Osimhen? They are hundredths of a second reactions, scams that can happen,” the former Polish international forward told Radio Kiss Kiss.

    “But we must make the players understand that such behaviours must be avoided.

    “He (Osimhen) is always very heated; he is quick and fast. But he’ll benefit from this episode.”

  • What De Laurentiis told me about joining Napoli – Benitez

    What De Laurentiis told me about joining Napoli – Benitez

    Rafa Benitez says he enjoyed his time with Napoli.

    Benitez won one Coppa Italia and an Italian Super Cup in his two-year spell at Napoli.

    And the Spaniard says he had a good relationship with president Aurelio de Laurentiis.

    “I have great memories of my time in Naples, Juventus were dominating, but we managed to win two titles,’ Benitez told Sky Italia.

    “De Laurentiis is a visionary. He flew to London to meet me and say he wanted to hire a coach-manager who could change the mentality of the club,”

  • Super Eagles striker scores sixth Serie A goal

    Super Eagles striker scores sixth Serie A goal

    Victor Osimhen scored his sixth Serie A goal of the season in Napoli’s 5-2 hammering of Lazio last night.

    After he failed to find the back of the net in the Blues’ 1-1 draw with Inter Milan on Sunday, the Super Eagles forward came off the bench to seal his team’s big victory at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

    The strike was Osimhen’s third goal in his last five league appearances and he appears to have rediscovered his goalscoring touch after enduring a nine-match goal drought earlier this year.

    The 22-year-old has now scored six goals after 18 appearances in his debut Serie A campaign following his big-money move from French Ligue 1 club Lille last August.

  • Italy, Napoli always an option for Chelsea midfielder – Agent

    Italy, Napoli always an option for Chelsea midfielder – Agent

    Jorginho’s agent says the Chelsea midfielder is enjoying a ‘special moment’ under Thomas Tuchel.

    The Italy international is a key figure in Tuchel’s midfield.

    But his agent, Joao Santos, says Jorginho would be open to a return to Italy if the situation changed at Stamford Bridge.

    “There are many rumours about that because he did so well at Napoli,” Santos told Naples-based station Radio Marte.

    “It’s a special moment for him. He is an important player for Chelsea now. However, he is an Italy international, and we are thinking about a return to Serie A if he leaves the Blues.

    “If Napoli will make an offer, we’ll evaluate it. He had a great time in Naples, and he has many friends over there.”

  • Victor Osimhen has been unlucky – Rohr

    Victor Osimhen has been unlucky – Rohr

    Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has revealed Napoli forward Victor Osimhen has been unlucky this season but he is confident the forward will soon start impressing with the Serie A side.

    The 22-year-old teamed up with the Parthenopeans last summer on a club-record fee of €80 million following his eye-catching displays for Lille during his one-year stay with the club.

    The centre-forward has, however, struggled to play regularly, owing to injury, suspension and coronavirus-related problems.

    Rohr has highlighted the qualities of the Super Eagles forward and believes Napoli fans will soon see his best after overcoming his injury problems.

    “Victor Osimhen’s season has so far been unlucky, between injuries and Covid. Already in October, he could not play with our national team two games, in Austria, because he was in quarantine after some of his teammates at Napoli had contracted Covid,” Rohr told Kiss Kiss Napoli.

    “I spoke with the boy and he told me that he is physically and mentally fine. He is ready to return to the field with Napoli and also with the national team.

    “Victor can play as a central striker in both 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1. They are two game systems that we use in the national team. He has been a permanent player in the Nigerian national team for five years.

    “His spirit of sacrifice is an example for all. You will soon see his real value. In the national team he is our point of reference for the attack, he has collected an important legacy in that role, that of [Odion] Ighalo.

    “In the next qualifying matches for the African Cup, we hope to find him with great energy. Napoli are a great team but have been unlucky this season.

    “Gattuso is a good coach and Victor told me he trusts him a lot and what he’s teaching him. I think he can get results already this season.

  • Ronaldo hits 760th career goal in Juve Super Cup victory

    Ronaldo hits 760th career goal in Juve Super Cup victory

    Cristiano Ronaldo hit the 760th goal of his career – earning a possible world record – as Juventus beat Napoli to win the Italian Super Cup and give Andrea Pirlo his first trophy as manager.

    The Portugal forward volleyed a close-range opener, and substitute Alvaro Morata sealed victory in injury time seconds after a brilliant save from Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

    Napoli’s Lorenzo Insigne missed a penalty with 10 minutes left, before Italian champions Juve – who are fifth in Serie A after Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Inter Milan – confirmed their ninth Super Cup win.

    “It is a great joy to win a trophy,” Pirlo told Rai Sport.

    “It is even more beautiful than winning as a player. It is difficult to see beautiful finals. It was important to win above all after the defeat against Inter. We had to show our pride.”

    Pirlo’s side controlled much of the game, but had their Polish keeper to thank for keeping Napoli at bay with two outstanding saves.

    Szczesny’s quick reactions saw him parry away Andrea Petagna’s header from close range before half-time, and he was alert enough to extend his left foot out when diving the other way to stop Matteo Politano’s shot in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

    Ronaldo was Juve’s main threat, scoring his 32nd goal in 32 games for his club when a corner fell perfectly for him in the six yard area after deflecting off Tiemoue Bakayoko.

    Napoli, managed by Pirlo’s former Milan team-mate Gennaro Gattuso, struggled to threaten an equaliser until Weston McKennie caught substitute Dries Mertens as he cleared in his own area.

    Referee Paolo Valeri consulted with the pitchside monitor before awarding the penalty to Napoli, but Insigne sent his spot-kick wide.

    Juve broke away after Szczesny’s injury time save, with Juan Cuadrado’s pass giving Morata a simple chance to seal the win.

  • Napoli smash 6 goals past Fiorentina to go third in Serie A

    Napoli smash 6 goals past Fiorentina to go third in Serie A

    Napoli pummelled Fiorentina 6-0 Sunday to take third place in Italy’s Serie A as their inspired captain Lorenzo Insigne hit a brace and provided an assist.

    The fast, diminutive Insigne struck clinically on five minutes and was unstoppable when he raced on the left flank to square for the third goal from Hirving Lozano.

    Napoli’s other striker Andrea Petagna set up Insigne’s opener and also crossed for the second goal scored by Diego Demme.

    Piotr Zielinski fired in off the left post to effectively wrap up matters by half time.

    Insigne then converted a penalty kick, before a late effort from substitute Matteo Politano.

    Napoli have a game in hand and sit six points behind leaders AC Milan, who close matchday 18 at Cagliari on Monday.

    Second-placed Inter Milan and fifth-place champions Juventus meet for a league classic later Sunday.

  • Victor Osimhen to retake COVID-19 test

    Victor Osimhen to retake COVID-19 test

    Serie A outfit Napoli have confirmed Victor Osimhen will retake a Covid-19 test as he is yet to overcome the virus.

    The Super Eagles star tested positive for the coronavirus after returning from Nigeria where he had gone to celebrate the yuletide season.

    Details of how Osimhen contracted the virus was revealed on social media as the forward did not follow Covid-19 rules when he celebrated his birthday on December 29, which he has apologized for.

    The 22-year-old was subsequently isolated for 14 days but after he was retested, the result showed the forward is still suffering from the virus.

    “The molecular nasopharyngeal swab carried out this morning to the footballer Victor Osimhen, resulted in a positive result in Covid-19. The player will repeat the test this week,” read a tweet from the club.

  • Gattuso to meet Osimhen after attending Lagos party

    Gattuso to meet Osimhen after attending Lagos party

    Napoli manager Gennaro Gattuso said he will be meeting with Victor Osimhen after the striker apologised for breaching COVID-19 rules at a party organised in Lagos.

    The Super Eagles star is yet to return to action since he dislocated his shoulder during an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Sierra Leone on November 13.

    Osimhen is still recovering from the injury but he was granted permission to travel to Nigeria for the winter break where he attended a party to celebrate his 22nd birthday on December 29.

    After Napoli’s 4-1 win over Cagliari on Sunday, Gattuso gave his opinion on the situation.

    “He’s a young lad who gives his all in training,” the Italian manager told the club website. “He knows he’s made a mistake and he’s apologised.

    “I’ll speak to him. I know how much he wants to get back onto the right track and get back playing.”