The cloak of the Maradona audience, celebrated by Spalletti, was not enough to make Napoli a superhero. The match against Fiorentina, which was to mark the turning point in the Neapolitan championship, becomes a flop that dampens the ambitions of the championship, the same ones that on the eve of the home match had been openly announced for the first time. The Viola, at their best performance of the season, are confirmed as the revelation team of this championship and in recent months a black beast for Napoli. After the five goals with which they eliminated the Neapolitans from the Italian Cup, there are three more, just enough for the Italian team to take home a heavy 3-2 win that projects the Tuscan team to seventh place in the standings, bypassing Atalanta and getting closer to the plans leading to a place in Europe. Spalletti’s team, immediately Nico Gonzalez’s goal in the 29th minute, was able with the strength of the nerves to rebalance the match at the beginning of the second half with the inclusion of Mertens but right at the moment of maximum push, the purple, shiny and poisonous on the counterattack, they took the lead again with Ikone in the 65th minute, dropping the three of a kind with Cabral a few minutes later. Osimhen with seven minutes left gave Maradona a swollen ending but it wasn’t enough. Napoli thus allows Inter to reach second place (which still has to recover a match).
Spalletti recovers Rrahmani after the flu attack and returns to the center of defense to support Koulibaly. To complete the line of four in front of Ospina the confirmed Zanoli on the right and Mario Rui on the left. In midfield, Fabian Ruiz returns to the holder in place of the suspended Anguissa. In attack confirmed Politano and Insigne on the outside alongside the returning Osimhen. In Fiorentina, the second consecutive starter for Cabral with Saponara and Nico Gonzalez completing the trident and Amrabat in place of Torreira. The first blast of the match was from Napoli with Osimhen who on a soft ball from Insigne hits all alone with his head with the ball out of a breath. Spalletti’s team looks for rhythm, tries to insist with the usual pressing and at 14 ‘goes on the net with the Nigerian on Zielinski’s assist but the goal is spoiled by offside. After the twentieth, Napoli continues to grind the game without breaking through. Fiorentina in fact appears tidy and attentive starting to put their heads out. And at the first real lunge he goes on the net with Nico Gonzalez. After a splendid action in speed, Duncan supports for Cabral, the ball ends up between the feet of the young Argentine striker who kicks power under the crossbar. The network is a blow to the clarity of Napoli that is apprehensive. Mario Rui tries to give an alarm in the 34th minute who takes advantage of a mistake by Venuti, enters the area and kicks power with the ball over the crossbar.
But it is a Napoli gagged by a Fiorentina who never gets anxious, always lucid and attentive. Italian has studied the challenge to the fullest, all played on the pressing of Napoli. The Neapolitans need more courage and greater speed in the games to prevent the inclined plane of the match from becoming impossible to rebalance. Spalletti in the second half focuses on Lozano who takes the place of Politano and after a few minutes also inserts Mertens for Ruiz. It is therefore a front-wheel drive Napoli that plays with greater aggressiveness and quality. And immediately the Tuscan coach is rewarded with a splendid choral action started by Osimhen who arrives in full running on the bottom and crosses in the center for Mertens who finds the corner and bags. The match changes face, Napoli, pushed by Maradona, goes to the assault with even more incisiveness. The Viola retreat in a dangerous way suffering too much the density and courage of Napoli. Italian runs for cover, inserts Ikoné for Saponara and Maleh for Duncan and once again it’s the changes that make the difference.
In the 66th minute, the Viola returned to their own advantage with the new French player making the most of a cross from the right on the opposite side. IL 23 has plenty of time to adjust the ball and place a low shot diagonally. Napoli struggled this time to get up and a few minutes later suffered the trio. Maleh’s ball for Cabral who quickly burns Lobotka and starts a shot to turn that beats Ospina. Napoli are on their knees, relying on the strength of nerves and the quality of Osimhen who, six minutes from regulation time, rekindles Maradona with a splendid goal. On a throw from Mario Rui, the Nigerian tows his chest into the area, takes the time and kicks under the crossbar. The illusion is fueled, the ending is an assault that does not give any miracle in the Neapolitan home. The ‘superhero’ has crashed to the ground and now it will not be easy to get up.