Napoli beat Fiorentina 3-0 at home and, awaiting recoveries from Atalanta and Inter, enjoy the solitary top of the table. Deserved victory for Di Lorenzo and his teammates even if the final score is a bit of a lie for the Viola who for large stretches played on equal terms and could have at least scored the winning goal. The Azzurri were too superior in the face of a team, the Tuscan one, which appeared too timid in the first phase, and at least careless in the second part.
The start of the match was a guest one with Conte introducing Spinazzola on the left in the offensive trident, with Olivera covering his back. The latter scores already in the 15th minute but the goal is correctly disallowed due to a double offside.
The Neapolitans dominate in midfield even if De Gea makes the only real save on a right-footed shot from Spinazzola. The formation chosen by Palladino, the 3-4-2-1, with Dodo’ and Parisi outside in midfield, actually sees the two constantly moving back to the defensive line to limit the rivals’ attacks, but when Neres accelerates in the 29th minute there is no There’s nothing to be done and the Brazilian scores a wonderful goal. At that point, Fiorentina woke up and reacted immediately but the goal scored by Kean on an assist from Sottil was canceled out due to a handball by the lily forward.
At the start of the second half Napoli doubled their lead with Lukaku who wrong-footed De Gea from the spot after a clear foul committed in the area by a naive Moreno on Anguissa. Shortly before the hour mark Palladino returns to 4-3-3, simultaneously replacing Parisi and Moreno and inserting Gosens and Colpani. At this point Meret becomes the protagonist who first denies Mandragora and then Beltran the 1-2 Viola. McTominay finally closed the game in the 68th minute by taking advantage of Comuzzo’s only mistake of the entire match. In the final twenty minutes the Viola tried hard to score at least one goal but without succeeding. At the final whistle there was a big celebration in the away section even if Olivera’s injury almost in injury time didn’t leave Conte completely at peace.