MILAN — Napoli managed to keep the chase alive for the top spot in Serie A, putting an end to their recent series of draws with a 2-1 victory against Fiorentina on Sunday. Romelu Lukaku was pivotal, scoring one and assisting Giacomo Raspadori for the other goal, bringing Napoli within a point of league leaders Inter Milan. Inter had staged their own comeback on Saturday, overcoming a two-goal deficit to secure a 3-2 win against Monza.
As the competition intensifies, Atalanta and Juventus are set to clash in Turin, seeking to remain in contention for the title. Currently, Atalanta sits six points behind Inter, with Juventus trailing them by an additional three points. Meanwhile, Fiorentina’s aspirations for a top-four finish are dwindling following yet another defeat, marking the team’s fourth loss in five league outings.
Napoli entered the match hoping to turn around their uninspired run of four draws and a loss in their last five appearances. They seized the lead 26 minutes into the game, courtesy of Scott McTominay who skillfully maneuvered into the box, leading to a save attempt by former Manchester United keeper David de Gea. The saved shot fell conveniently for Lukaku, who easily converted the opportunity. Giovanni Di Lorenzo came close to extending the lead, but his shot rattled the crossbar, while De Gea made several essential saves for Fiorentina to stay in contention.
Napoli expanded their lead at the 60-minute mark through a well-coordinated play that saw Lukaku threading a pass to Raspadori, who deftly finished into the bottom right corner. Fiorentina managed to respond six minutes later when Moise Kean’s clever backheel sent Albert Guðmundsson clear to score.
Continuing its upward trajectory, Bologna recorded a third consecutive victory, overcoming Hellas Verona 2-1 on the road, despite Verona being reduced to 10 men. Bologna, sitting comfortably in sixth place, has only suffered one league defeat in 2025, out of 11 matches played. Jens Odgaard found the net just before the break, and Nicolò Cambiaghi extended the lead in the 78th minute, capitalizing on an error by Verona’s goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipò, who allowed the ball to slip through for a shocking goal.
The game’s dynamics shifted after Verona’s Nicolás Valentini was sent off with a second yellow card. Still, they managed to score a consolation goal through Daniel Mosquera with ten minutes left on the clock. Despite the loss, Verona remains four points above the dreaded relegation zone.
