If this was simply the antipasto, Napoli needs to be involved about what AC Milan will serve up for the primary course.
In the primary of three matchups between Milan and Napoli this month, the defending Serie A champion routed this season’s runaway chief 4-0 on Sunday forward of two extra clashes within the Champions League quarterfinals.
Rafael Leão scored twice and Brahim Diaz arrange one purpose and scored one other at hand Napoli its heaviest defeat of what in any other case has been a unprecedented season.
“We’re happy with the performance but it’s just one game,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli stated. “Tonight’s result has nothing to do with the Champions League games, because that’s a different competition. That will be a very balanced contest.”
Napoli’s solely different losses within the Italian league this season each got here by scores of 1-0, to Inter Milan in January and to Lazio a month in the past.
Napoli was additionally crushed 2-0 by Liverpool within the ultimate match of the Champions League group section however that loss got here after the Partenopei had already clinched a spot within the spherical of 16.
Otherwise, Napoli’s solely different defeat in 2022-23 got here towards Cremonese on penalties within the Italian Cup.
Milan moved as much as third place, 20 factors behind Napoli and 4 factors behind Lazio.
Milan managed from the beginning on the Diego Armando Maradona stadium and Diaz arrange Milan’s early opener for Leão with an ideal by means of ball. Leão — final season’s MVP — then did the remaining by chipping in over Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret.
Diaz produced some extra fireworks when he faked out Mario Rui to attain with a deflection from shut vary within the twenty fifth.
It marked the primary time that Napoli conceded twice within the opening 25 minutes of a Serie A recreation since a match towards Juventus in Aug. 2019.
Leão fired within the third from a pointy angle close to the hour mark after deceiving Napoli defender Amir Rrahmani.
Then Alexis Saelemaekers weaved by means of Napoli’s protection lower than 10 minutes later to finish the rout.
At the ultimate whistle, Leão exchanged shirts together with his fellow left winger at Napoli, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
“I’m a big fan of his,” Leão stated. “I like what he does on the pitch. He’s similar to me, he tries to dribble by opponents.”
Milan hosts Napoli on the San Siro within the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals in 10 days, then Napoli hosts the second leg six days later.
Napoli hopes to have Serie A scoring chief Victor Osimhen again for these matches after its middle ahead was dominated out of this recreation attributable to an injured abductor muscle in his left leg.
LAZIO SECOND
Lazio tightened its grip on second place with a 2-0 win at Silvio Berlusconi’s Monza.
Having crushed Napoli and Roma within the derby earlier than the worldwide break, Lazio prolonged its unbeaten streak within the Italian league to 6 matches.
A free kick from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic after the break adopted an early purpose from Pedro for Lazio.
Lazio has saved six consecutive clear sheets for the second time this season.
WIJNALDUM’S IMPACT
Georginio Wijnaldum scored one purpose and earned a penalty that Paulo Dybala transformed as Roma beat 10-man Sampdoria 3-0 to maneuver degree on factors with fourth-place Inter Milan.
All of the objectives got here after Sampdoria defender Jeison Murillo was despatched off for 2 yellow playing cards early within the second half.
Wijnaldum opened the scoring with a header then Stephan El Shaarawy sealed it from the sting of the realm after Dybala’s penalty.
Roma coach Jose Mourinho’s counterpart at Sampdoria, Dejan Stankovic, was one in every of Mourinho’s gamers when he coached Inter to a treble of titles in 2010.
Also, Bologna continued to impress below Thiago Motta with a 3-0 win over Udinese to maneuver as much as eighth.
Stefan Posch, Nikola Moro and Musa Barrow scored for Bologna.
Motta changed the fired Sinisa Mihajlović in September after Bologna was unable to provide a win in its opening 5 matches.
Salernitana drew 1-1 at Spezia.
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
