Juventus dealt Napoli’s Champions League hopes a near fatal blow with a 3-1 victory in Turin on Saturday evening.
Roberto Pereyra put them ahead at half-time but a David Lopez effort had the visitors level before Stefano Sturaro and Simone Pepe secured the win that now puts Napoli’s hopes of competing in Europe’s premier competition out of their hands.
The home side underwent a pre-match lap of honour, parading their newly won Coppa Italia, accompanied by their children as a party atmosphere enveloped the ground and on 13 minutes, it turned into carnival season when Kinglsey Coman’s lofted pass picked out the perfectly timed run of Pereyra and left all alone in front of goal, ‘El Tucumano’ confidently turned the ball to the net.
After that, it turned into something of an exhibition from the champions – the following minutes filled with nutmegs, quick flicks and other forms of trickery that delighted the home support.
They almost had another goal to cheer 10 minutes before the half time whistle when Paul Pogba curled a free kick just over Mariano Andujar’s crossbar – aiming to prove the man who wears 21 is not the only dead ball expert in the dressing room.
Mertens and Faouzi Ghoulam blazed off target in frustration as their hosts toyed with them but the real star of the show in the first half was the home support who, on 39 minutes, paid a spine-tingling tribute to the 39 victims of the Heysel disaster upon the 30th anniversary.
A giant ’39 Rispetto’ banner was unfurled and around it on the curva, supporters held up small placards with the names of the victims – a truly touching show of respect to one of the darkest days in the club’s history.
In the second half, Sturaro went close to replicating Marco van Basten’s famous volleyed heroics for Holland at the 1988 European Championships with a thundering effort from a Pogba cross – similar in its attempt but just lacking in the execution as it zipped over the top.
Five minutes later, the Partenopei were on level terms. Having struggled in the way of clearcut chances, they were offered the easiest route to goal when awarded a penalty after the ball struck the arm of Kwadwo Asamoah – a decision that appeared harsh on the 26-year-old.
His goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon did his best to make amends for it – with a good save to his right to deny Lorenzo Insigne’s spot kick (Higuain having been substituted at the interval) but could not keep out Lopez who slammed in the rebound.
Encouraged by their leveller, there was more intensity about the southern side afterwards although they could have did without speculative shots like that attempted by Manolo Gabbiadini in trying to lob Buffon from 45 yards – and could have been punished but both Pogba and Alvaro Morata struck straight at Andujar.
After that, it was Napoli who thought they were in front, but for a jaw-dropping stop from Buffon whose agility could not be called into question despite his advancing years by producing a magnificent reflex save to tip over a blistering volley via Lopez – a save that became all the more important when a Sturaro stunner put them ahead again with little under 15 minutes left.
The former Genoa man showed an electric turn of pace to leave Britos for dead and then sent a calm finish to the corner of the net with the help of a slight deflection off Christian Maggio and Napoli had their abject evening compounded in injury time when a frustrated Britos was shown a red card for a vicious headbutt on Morata and substitute Pepe tucked away his first goal in over three years.
