After a 33-year wait, Napoli finally clinched their third Serie A title with a record-equalling five games to play, drawing 1-1 against Udinese on Thursday. Thousands of supporters celebrated in Udine, the Stadio Maradona in Naples, and throughout southern Italy’s largest city when the final whistle blew.
Napoli supporters even went onto the pitch at the Dacia Arena to revel in their team’s success, causing tension with the home supporters who were unhappy with the open partying on their turf. Victor Osimhen scored the crucial goal in the second half to bring Napoli back from a 1-0 halftime deficit after Sandi Lovric’s opener. This triumph follows the league victories in 1987 and 1990 led by Diego Maradona.
Luciano Spalletti, Napoli’s manager, was emotional and ecstatic, stating in an interview with DAZN that “Seeing Neapolitans happy is enough to give you a sense of that joy they are feeling. These people will look to this moment when life gets hard, they have every right to celebrate like this. You feel a bit more relaxed knowing that you’ve given them this moment of happiness.”
The hero of the moment was undoubtedly Osimhen, who had the best season of his career and was a key player in Napoli’s historic charge to glory. Osimhen scored his 22nd goal in 28 league appearances, the goal that clinched the title for Napoli, and sparked celebrations among the traveling supporters who took over Udine.
Napoli’s 16-point lead over second-placed Lazio gives them a month-long parade until the end of the season, allowing their long-suffering supporters to finally release the frustration of more than a generation.
In the game against Udinese, Napoli struggled initially to create opportunities, with Lovric scoring in the 13th minute. Napoli looked bereft of ideas in the final third until Osimhen’s decisive strike in the 52nd minute, which caused a wave of relief and blue smoke from the stands.
Osimhen almost scored again in the 67th minute, but referee Rosario Abisso rightly blew for a foul by Eljif Elmas. The Napoli fans in Udine began to sing victory songs, while flares billowed and fireworks were set off in Naples.
While the supporters had to be cleared from the pitch in Udine to avoid clashes with home supporters, the Stadio Maradona was lit up by teary-eyed Neapolitans holding up their phones and singing along to songs by the late local singer-songwriter Pino Daniele.
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