In a surprising turn of events in Serie A, Napoli faced a significant setback in their pursuit of Champions League qualification after being defeated 3-0 by Atalanta at home on Saturday.
The loss adds to Napoli’s challenges as they now find themselves in seventh place, trailing behind in the race with 50 points and having played an extra game compared to their rivals.
The match marked Atalanta’s first league win in five attempts, lifting them to the sixth position, thanks in part to goals from Aleksei Miranchuk, Gianluca Scamacca, and Teun Koopmeiners.
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini expressed his satisfaction with the victory, stating to DAZN, “If you win 3-0 in Napoli, you can only be satisfied.
“From the first half we created a lot and held the game well. Napoli also created, but overall we were superior.”
The pre-game atmosphere was marked by a gesture of solidarity from Napoli players who knelt in support of their teammate Juan Jesus.
This act came following a recent acquittal of Inter Milan’s Francesco Acerbi on charges of racial insult towards Jesus.
The match commenced with Napoli almost conceding early when Miranchuk’s shot hit the post.
However, Miranchuk didn’t miss his chance in the 26th minute, scoring from a scramble in Napoli’s box. Scamacca increased Atalanta’s lead by exploiting a mistake from Napoli defender Jesus just before halftime.
Despite dominating possession, Napoli, missing key player Khvicha Kvaratskhelia due to injury, struggled to convert their opportunities into goals, hitting the post twice in a quick succession.
Koopmeiners sealed the win for Atalanta with a goal in the 88th minute, bringing his season’s goal tally to 13.
Napoli coach Francesco Calzona reflected on the defeat and the diminishing hopes for Champions League qualification, remarking, “The chances of going to the Champions League have shrunk, but we have to look ahead, improve and try to win games.”
The loss signifies a critical point for Napoli as they aim to regain momentum in the remaining part of the season.