In a thrilling weekend of Serie A action, Napoli returned to form with a crucial 2-1 victory over Fiorentina, intensifying the chase for the top position currently held by Inter Milan. Romelu Lukaku was instrumental in Napoli’s success, scoring one goal and setting up another for Giacomo Raspadori. This win brought Napoli back within a single point of leaders Inter, who had secured a dramatic 3-2 comeback win against Monza the previous day.
Atalanta reinforced its status as a serious contender with a dominant 4-0 victory over Juventus, who are fourth in the standings. The result shortened the gap to Inter to just three points. Atalanta’s credentials will face a stern test in their upcoming clash against Inter, a match that could prove pivotal in the title race.
Fiorentina’s aspirations of breaking into the top four took a hit with this being their fourth defeat in five league matches. Meanwhile, Napoli had been on a lackluster run themselves, managing only four draws in their last five games and losing the other. However, they opened the scoring in the 26th minute, thanks to Scott McTominay’s superb play that ended with Lukaku neatly scoring a rebound from David de Gea’s save.
Despite Giovanni Di Lorenzo hitting the crossbar for Napoli, Fiorentina had De Gea to thank for some remarkable saves that kept them in contention. Napoli eventually found their second goal when Lukaku fed a precise through ball to Raspadori, who finished with aplomb into the bottom right corner. Fiorentina managed to pull a goal back six minutes afterward when Moise Kean’s deft backheel set up Albert Guðmundsson for a low drive into the net.
In Turin, Atalanta and Juventus were locked in a crucial battle for third place, separated by only three points. Mateo Retegui, the league’s leading scorer, put Atalanta ahead with a penalty in the 29th minute after Juventus’ Weston McKennie was penalized for handball. Retegui’s tally now stands at 22 for the season, significantly ahead in the scoring race.
A mix of near misses and saves from Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio kept the game tight until Marten de Roon doubled Atalanta’s advantage right after halftime. Further goals from Davide Zappacosta and Ademola Lookman put the result beyond doubt, leaving Juventus to endure the fans’ displeasure at the final whistle.
Elsewhere, Roma needed just 22 seconds to set the tone in a narrow 1-0 victory against the relegation-threatened Empoli. According to statistics provider Opta, this marked Roma’s quickest goal in a Serie A match since data collection began in 2004. This win marked a fifth consecutive victory across all competitions for Roma, who remain unbeaten in twelve league matches, advancing into seventh place ahead of Fiorentina.
Bologna extended their impressive form with a 2-1 win over 10-man Hellas Verona. This victory marked Bologna’s third straight win, with the team having suffered only one league defeat in their last 11 outings. The result leaves Verona teetering four points above the relegation zone.
