Napoli – Football Flame

17Apr

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Luciano Spalletti, Napoli, SERIE A, UCL, Victor Osimhen

Spalletti: Osimhen ‘gives us that burst of enthusiasm’

Napoli's Italian coach Luciano Spalletti comforts Napoli's Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen (L) after he was substituted during the Italian Serie A football match between Napoli and Atalanta on March 11, 2023 at the Diego-Maradona stadium in Naples.Luciano Spalletti spoke to Radio Kiss Kiss ahead of Napoli’s Champions Leaguequarter-final second leg against Milan, giving his assessment of the team’s chances and the return of Victor Osimhen. The influential Nigerian made his return from injury in the Partenopei’s Serie A game against Hellas Verona on Saturday, coming on for 25 minutes of the eventual 0-0 draw. Assessing his side’s performance in the stalemate at the Maradona, Spalletti believes his side lacked fluidity in possession. “I expected ...

15Apr

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Napoli, SERIE A, Victor Osimhen

Hoffenheim hold Bayern as Dortmund stumble at Stuttgart

Victor Osimhen of SSC Napoli battle for the ball during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and Hellas Verona at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on April 15, 2023 in Naples, Italy. Napoli and AC Milan both dropped points ahead of the Serie A sides’ Champions League showdown following respective draws with Verona and Bologna. Italy’s champions-elect Napoli have had their imposing league lead cut to 14 points after a second-string XI could only manage a goalless stalemate with Verona and second-placed Lazio won at Spezia on Friday. As it stands Luciano Spalletti’s side still need 11 points from their final eight matches to seal their first league title since 1990, but all eyes are now on Tuesday’s second leg of their quarter-final clash with Milan in Naples in which they have to ov...

13Apr

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Champions League, Napoli, Victor Osimhen

Napoli’s Osimhen to return for Champions League second leg v Milan

Victor Osimhen during Serie A match between Torino v Napoli in Turin, on March 19, 2023.Napoli forward Victor Osimhen will be fit for their Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to AC Milan next week after missing Wednesday’s 1-0 first leg defeat, manager Luciano Spalletti said. Nigeria’s Osimhen, Serie A’s top scorer with 21 goals, was sidelined for this month’s league games against Milan and Lecce due to a thigh strain. “The chances of him being available are 100% because the work schedule, it was made in that direction,” Spalletti told Sky Sports in Italy.“He was rested today (Wednesday) and in Saturday’s match to complete the work done by the doctors, then anything can happen.”Ismael Bennacer’s goal gave Milan a 1-0 win to take into the return leg on April 18. Serie A...

7Apr

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Napoli, SERIE A

Own goal gets runaway leaders Napoli back on track

Giovanni Di Lorenzo of SSC Napoli, Giacomo Raspadori of SSC Napoli celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Serie A match between US Lecce and SSC Napoli at Stadio Via del Mare on April 7, 2023 in Lecce, Italy.Napoli have got back to winning ways as an own goal from goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone handed them a 2-1 Serie A victory away at Lecce, pushing them a remarkable 19 points clear in the title race. The leaders were thumped 4-0 at home by Milan last weekend, but they bounced back by overcoming a stubborn Lecce, who can probably count themselves unlucky not to come away with a share of the spoils on Friday. Giovanni Di Lorenzo headed Napoli in front early on, but the hosts equalised not long after halftime when Federico Di Francesco thumped home with a fine finish. But a...

10Mar

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Napoli, SERIE A, Spalletti

Napoli aiming for quick bounce back in title march

Napoli during the Serie A match between Ssc Napoli and Ss Lazio on March 3, 2023 stadium ''Armando Maradona'' in Napoli, Italy.After their march to glory was stalled last weekend Napoli can get their Serie A title bid back on track in Saturday when they host Champions League-chasing Atalanta. Defeat to Lazio meant Napoli’s massive league lead over Inter Milan was cut to 15 points with 13 matches remaining. Inter will have the chance to put a little more pressure on Napoli as they open the weekend’s fixtures at relegation-threatened Spezia on Friday night. There is little chance of Napoli not winning their first Scudetto since 1990 as even if Inter were to win all of their fixtures another 25 points would secure triumph for southern Italy’s biggest club. But another wobble against one...

4Mar

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Lazio, Matias Vecino, Napoli, SERIE A

Serie A leaders Napoli beaten at home by Lazio

Matias Vecino of SS Lazio celebrates a opening goal during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and SS Lazio at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on March 03, 2023 in Naples, Italy. Serie A leaders Napoli suffered only their second league defeat of the season as they lost at home to Lazio, who moved up to second in the table. Matias Vecino scored the only goal in the 67th minute with an excellent strike from outside the penalty area. Serie A top goalscorer Victor Osimhen, with 19 goals in the league, came closest to an equaliser but saw his header bounce off the crossbar. Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic also hit the woodwork with a free-kick. Vecino’s goal was the first goal Napoli had conceded in six games. Napoli are aiming to become Italian champions for the third time with thei...

18Feb

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Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Napoli, Sassuolo, SERIE A, Victor Osimhen

Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen extend Napoli’s Serie A lead to 18 points

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of SSC Napoli celebrate after scoring a goal with Victor Osimhen of SSC Napoli during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and SSC Napoli at Mapei Stadium - Citta' del Tricolore on February 17, 2023 in Reggio nell'Emilia, Italy.In-form duo Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen were among the goals again and Napoli opened an 18-point lead in Serie A with a 2-0 win at Sassuolo on Friday. Giovanni Simeone, the son of Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone, thought he had made it 3-0 in injury time but his goal was ruled out for offside. Napoli have 62 points from 23 games ahead of second-placed Inter Milan, who host mid-table Udinese on Saturday, and are moving closer to ending a 33-year wait for the league title. Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti made five substitutions i...

22Jan

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Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Napoli, SERIE A, Victor Osimhen

Napoli resume winning ways in Serie A

Victor Osimhen of SSC Napoli in action during the Serie A match between Salernitana and SSC Napoli at Stadio Arechi on January 21, 2023 in Salerno, Italy.Serie A leaders Napoli have bounced back from their Italian Cup elimination with a 2-0 win at regional rivals Salernitana.Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Victor Osimhen scored either side of halftime as Napoli moved 12 points clear of defending champions AC Milan ahead of the Rossoneri’s game at Lazio on Tuesday.Napoli lost a penalty shootout to Cremonese, who are last in Serie A, in the Italian Cup on Tuesday.Salernitana were coming off a wild week including an 8-2 rout by Atalanta last weekend, firing coach Davide Nicola on Monday and rehiring him on Wednesday.Di Lorenzo scored for Napoli off the underside of the crossbar in first-half added ti...

18Jan

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Cremonese, Felix Afena-Gyan, Napoli

Cremonese stuns Napoli to reach Coppa Italia quarterfinals

Felix Afena-Gyan of US Cremonese celebrates after scoring the 2-2 goal during the Coppa Italia match between SSC Napoli and US Cremonese at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on January 17, 2023 in Naples, Italy.Cremonese will play Roma in the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup after Serie A’s bottom side battled to a stunning 5-4 penalty shootout win over league leader Napoli on Tuesday. Felix Afena-Gyan struck the winning spot kick under a torrential downpour in Naples to send Cremonese through after the former Roma forward had taken the match to extra time with a late looping header. Napoli had been leading 2-1 with three minutes of normal time remaining thanks to headers in three first-half minutes from Juan Jesus and Giovanni Simeone, after Charles Pickel gave the away side an 18th-minute le...

8Jan

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Napoli, Sampdoria, SERIE A, Victor Osimhen

Napoli stretch lead with win over Samp

Victor Osimhen of SSC Napoli competes for the ball with Bram Nuytinck of UC Sampdoria ,during the Serie A match between UC Sampdoria and SSC Napoli at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on January 8, 2023 in Genoa, Italy.Despite missing an early penalty, Napoli have bounced back from their first league defeat of the season to beat 10-man Sampdoria 2-0 and extend their advantage at the top of Serie A. In an emotional match at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Sunday, Victor Osimhen opened the scoring in the 19th minute after Matteo Politano had earlier had his penalty saved. Sampdoria were hit when Tomas Rincon was sent off shortly before halftime and Napoli went on to seal victory with another penalty, struck home by Eljif Elmas. Napoli moved seven points clear of second-placed Juventus although defending champ...