Juventus were scheduled to play their Matchday 27 fixture of the Italian Serie A campaign in 2023/2024 ahead of league leaders Inter Milan, but a tough task was encountered against the defending Italian champions SSC Napoli at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The home team, under new manager Francesco Calzona, were able to secure all 3 points at home in this crucial match against Juventus, winning the game with a 2-1 score line after 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Giacomo Raspadori were on the scoresheet to cancel out Federico Chiesa’s equaliser.
SSC Napoli Regained Lead to Win 2-1 Against the Old Lady
Georgia international Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was one of the best performers in SSC Napoli’s league title winning-squad in 2023/2024 with 14 goals and 17 assists across 43 games played across all competitions, and the 23-year-old winger was the man who put the home side ahead against Juventus three minutes prior to the first-half injury time. Kvaratskhelia led SSC Napoli to the game opener when a delivery was ricocheted into the path of his, and the 23-year-old gave a volley a clean strike, firing it into the bottom left corner as a result.
The game look to have SSC Napoli winning with the slightest margin of 1-0, until the Old Lady provided a late equaliser through Federico Chiesa. In the 81st minute, the Italian international dribbled into the penalty box, followed by lashing a shot at the opposing goal. His effort would end at the same corner where the opening goal was scored, making things hanging in the balance once again with a few minutes remaining on the clock.
Not long after Chiesa levelling things up for the visiting Juventus, Francesco Calzona’s men regained the led, and the goal was filled with drama. Victor Osimhen was put onto the ground by 18-year-old Belgium midfielder Joseph Nonge Boende inside the dangerous zone, prompting the referee to award a spot kick to the home team, in which Osimhen stepped up for the responsibility. The 25-year-old Nigerian striker had his subsequent shot parried away by the shot stopper Wojciech Szczęsny, only to have it fallen before substitute Giacomo Raspadori, who then slotted home SSC Napoli’s second goal of the game into the back of the net, winning the game 2-1 at the end.
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Inter Milan to Extend Their Lead with Juventus’ Loss to SSC Napoli
With the 2-1 victory at home, SSC Napoli moved to the seventh place of the Italian top-flight football table, whereas the defeat gave Juventus a huge blow in their hopes of winning another league title at the end of the current season. To rub salt into the wound, Juventus’ loss to SSC Napoli also gave league leaders Inter Milan to extend their lead at the summit of the Italian Serie A table, who are set to face off with Genoa CFC at San Siro later tonight. Should I Nerazzurri triumph at home, they will be given a 15-point lead with only 11 league games remaining in the 2023/2024 Season.
Current midfielder of Juventus and former Manchester United graduate and player Paul Pogba has been suspended for a lengthy ban of four years after multiple failed drug tests in his doping case, leaving the Frenchman in risks of a premature retirement to his professional senior football career. The most successful club in the Italian Serie at 36 league trophies Juventus have yet to make any comments regarding the result of Pogba’s doping case but you can check out all the details regarding the midfield star’s four-year suspension so far in this article that we have prepared for you here.
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Head Coaches’ Words Post-SSC Napoli-Juventus Clash
Calzona was full of praises in managing the defending Italian champions SSC Napoli back on track in the Italian top-flight football, saying “We are on the right track, but there is a lot still to be done. I am very happy for the victory, I saw a team that wants to improve itself. In winning this match, the team sent a signal that it wants to achieve important targets. I am pleased to see such a united side that wants to keep getting stronger. Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen are two fundamental players for this team. They both had difficult moments this season, but are now almost back to their usual levels”.
The 55-year-old Calzona is also manager of the Slovakia national football team, and he was delighted to lead SSC Napoli to their second victory in four games in charge thus far. “I cannot perform miracles in 10 days, we need more time, but we don’t have time. We must improve in possession and making more vertical passes. I believe in playing out from the back and ask the lads not to kick the ball away. Juve made it difficult for us, but we’re happy. I don’t think I did anything in particular, I just told the lads to relax and apply themselves in training.”
Allegri showed his disappointment while offering his thoughts over Juventus’ defeat by SSC Napoli. “It is a regret that we leave empty-handed, but experience of playing at this level makes the difference. We should’ve been more wide awake in certain situations. It was one of the youngest Juventus starting XIs of all time, I think, and that means we are working well. Our objective is to help these young players to grow so that they will be ready next season. I am more sad than angry, they started the run from deep and we ought to do better. Szczesny saved a bad penalty, it would’ve been better to put it out for a corner,” said the 56-year-old.
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A hard-fought match with battles all over.
This #NapoliJuve will be one to remember. pic.twitter.com/E0QrEi1WjD
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) March 3, 2024
