In Milan, Napoli showcased resilience and determination on Saturday, overcoming flares and match interruptions to secure a 1-0 victory over Lecce, thereby tightening their grip on the Serie A title chase. This win keeps Napoli ahead by three points from the second-place team, Inter Milan, who achieved a 1-0 triumph against Hellas Verona.
The only goal of the match came from Giacomo Raspadori, maintaining Napoli’s top spot. With only three rounds left in the league, Napoli now needs just seven more points to claim their second title in three years. “This is a vital step forward, there’s no denying it,” said Antonio Conte, who guided his team with unwavering focus. “Our eyes are set on the prize, and we intend to see this through to the end. People only remember champions, the history being written as others read it,” he continued.
The atmosphere in Lecce was charged, given recent events. Fans passionately expressed anger towards the league’s governing body for scheduling the match with Atalanta shortly after the passing of their club physical therapist, Graziano Fiorita. A poignant minute of silence took place before kickoff. However, the tension soon escalated, leading to fans hurling flares and fireworks onto the pitch, causing a temporary stoppage six minutes into play. Further delays occurred as officials repaired a fireworks-induced hole in the net.
Napoli believed they had an early advantage when Romelu Lukaku found the net a mere 100 seconds into the game, but his goal was annulled for offside. Nonetheless, Raspadori secured the lead in the 24th minute, following a foul right outside the area. He elegantly converted the ensuing free kick into the bottom right corner. Despite Lecce’s valiant attempts to recover—highlighted by Kialonda Gaspar’s close call with a header hitting the crossbar—the hosts couldn’t find the equalizer. They now hover just above the relegation zone by a point.
In another development, Inter made significant alterations to their lineup in preparation for the upcoming Champions League semifinal second leg against Barcelona. Despite the challenging circumstances, Inter emerged victorious. They had ten changes from their previous match with Barcelona, retaining only defender Yann Bisseck. Kristjan Asllani’s confident ninth-minute penalty kick, awarded after a handball by Verona’s Nicolás Valentini, secured the win. This marked Inter’s first victory after a sequence of six games that dashed their aspirations of a treble. Meanwhile, Verona remains six points clear of the drop zone.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the league, Parma postponed celebrations of securing Serie A safety after falling to a 1-0 home defeat to Como. A late goal from Gabriel Strefezza in the 79th minute, combined with missed opportunities, kept Parma six points from safety. Cagliari, also embroiled in the relegation battle, is only a point ahead after losing 2-1 to Udinese.