Below a giant mural of Diego Maradona, Napoli fans celebrated the Italian league soccer title as if they were at the game — singing, jumping and lighting flares. On the other side of Naples, at the stadium now named for Maradona, tributes to the club’s most emblematic player were everywhere: his image on banners, flags and scarves, his No. 10 on the back of shirts. As Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti put it after the Partenopei sealed their first league title since Maradona led the club to the 1987 and 1990 championships, the late Argentina standout's legacy made a difference.
“These fans have seen big coaches come and go. They saw Diego Armando Maradona play and perhaps his (impact) is also felt in this success,” Spalletti said. Unlike the Maradona years, however, this Napoli title wasn’t about a single player but rather a well-run unit that often overwhelmed opponents with standouts in every department: league scoring leader Victor Osimhen at center forward, league assist leader Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at left wing, passing expert Stanislav Lobotka in central midfield and physical presence Kim Min-jae at center back — not to mention their veteran coach. Napoli clinched the trophy with a 1-1 draw at Udinese. Osimhen equalized for Napoli early in the second half by redirecting in a rebound after Sandi Lovric had put Udinese ahead early on. “I’m happy for all Napoli fans worldwide,” Osimhen said. “No one deserves the scudetto more than Neapolitans — more than us.
This story is from the May 13, 2023 edition of Cricket Today.
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This story is from the May 13, 2023 edition of Cricket Today.
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