At the Diego Armando Maradona stadium, Napoli destroyed Juventus in the second half (5-1) to temporarily take a ten-point lead over the Old Lady in the standings. It had been 30 years since Juve had conceded five league goals, and above all, seemed so far from a Napoli sending a big message in the race for the Scudetto.
Napoli 5-1 Juventus 
Goals: Osimhen (15e65e), Kvaratskhelia (39e), Rrahmani (55e), Elmas (72e) for Napoli // Di María (42e) for Juventus
The Serie A cuvée 2022-2023 has not yet revealed all its flavors that the most pronounced already bears its name well: Napoli. A few days after having doubts against Inter at San Siro (1-0), the Neapolitan team simply got over their nerves on a poor Juve who only held on during the first act. We’ll have to get up early to prevent these strong Neapolitan fellows from going all the way.
Di María casts doubt
There is no point in blaming Vesuvius for this wildfire that perfumes the Diego Maradona stadium in Naples this Friday evening. On a dazzling dynamic of eight victories in a row without conceding the slightest pawn, Juve presents itself in its Mordor, where it has not emerged victorious in Serie A since March 2019. Despite the tenure of Ángel Di María or by Federico Chiesa, it was the leader, Napoli, who got off to a strong start and whistled their runner-up for the first time at the quarter-hour mark: in the heart of the Turin area, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia released an acrobatic gesture repelled by Wojciech Szczęsny on the masked skull of Victor Osimhen which makes the Neapolitan people roar for the first time (1-0, 15e).
A just reward that wakes up Juve: Di María takes advantage of an error by Amir Rrahmani to find the crossbar of Alex Meret, then Gleison Bremer is on the verge of putting in the back a tight corner from the Argentine world champion. But a second time, Partenopei will punish: Bremer is wrong, Osimhen takes advantage and serves Kvaradona who gives work to the speaker Decibel Bellini (2-0, 39e). But where many have bowed down, the Old Lady will find legs: Di María reduces the score following a double support with Manuel Locatelli then Arkadiusz Milik (2-1, 42e)then on a cross from Federico Chiesa, Rrahmani forces Meret to a miracle with the saving whistle from Daniele Doveri.
Napoli rolls out
The mirage only lasted half-time, 45 minutes exactly, quite simply because Napoli will sweep over a Juve team which will lose feathers as time goes by. On a corner from Kvaratskhelia, the hitherto clumsy Rrahmani sends a rocket into the small net of Juve (3-1, 55e). Osimhen, sparkling this Friday evening, misses for the first time at the hour of play to kill the suspense by falling on Szczęsny at the near post. He won’t miss the target a second time, on a delicious serve from his Georgian friend (4-1, 65e). The remaining half hour looks like a slow agony for Juve, ridiculed by the insolent Neapolitan technical mastery which will even lead to a new master class converted by Ejif Elmas (5-1, 72e).
Provisionally, Napoli takes a ten-point lead over Milan and Juve to a game of the mid-league. A sacred mattress on the accounting level accompanied by a clear superiority which necessarily feeds some dreams in the heads of Neapolitans: 33 years later, Napoli has the shoulders to settle on the throne.
Napoli (4-3-3): Meret – Di Lorenzo, Kim, Rrahmani, Mario Rui (Mathías Olivera, 70e) – Anguissa, Lobotka, Zieliński (Ndombele, 79e) – Politano (Elmas, 45e), Osimhen (Raspadori, 78e), Kvaratskhelia (Lozano, 88e). Coach : Luciano Spalletti.
Juventus (3-5-1-1): Szczęsny – Danilo, Bremer, Alex Sandro – Chiesa, McKennie, Locatelli (Paredes, 56e) , Rabiot, Kostić – Di María – Milik (Kean, 56e). Coach : Massimiliano Allegri.
By Andrea Chazy
.
