Napoli hits Cagliari and loses the opportunity to reach the top. At the Sardegna Arena, Spalletti’s team does not go beyond the draw (1-1), but from what we have seen on the pitch it is a point that is worth gold for the Neapolitans. The men of the great former Mazzarri, authors of a strong performance, take the lead with Gaston Pereiro (with the complicity of a duck from Ospina) and have the chance to double, which they do not exploit. Ospina keeps him afloat, then with three minutes from the end the newly entered Osimhen with a great goal saves the guests. Draw that leaves a bad taste in the mouths of the hosts, who lengthen the streak of useful results but leave two points on the plate that would have allowed entry into the safety zone.
But Cagliari is certainly alive and this is the good news for Mazzarri. Spalletti avoids a game with many pitfalls, climbs to 54 points with Inter and can concentrate on the return of the Europa League with Barcelona. The Azzurri’s coach lands in Sardinia in an emergency: six players are unavailable. Fabian Ruiz and Osimhen start from the bench, Petagna is the attacking terminal supported behind by Elmas and Mertens. In midfield Zielinski climbs in the median and flanks Demme, Di Lorenzo and Mario Rui act on the outside. The former Mazzarri confirms the attack tandem Gaston Pereiro-Joao Pedro, ready to take over from Pavoletti and Keita. First as a starter in the middle for Baselli, Lovato returns in defense. Cragno must already overcome himself after about ten minutes, foiling Di Lorenzo’s left on the bank of Petagna.
On the developments of the following corner, Rrahmani’s gore does not frame the goal. The Sardinians show up with an imprecise header from Altare, the chance that sees Joao Pedro as protagonist is more dangerous: Koulibaly gives him the ball, the rossoblù number 10 with the left-handed from an excellent position sends out of nothing. The list of players knocked out in the Neapolitan home is getting longer: Malcuit must replace Di Lorenzo. The pressure is raised by Cagliari, which tries again with Joao Pedro, on Baselli’s brilliant verticalization: Ospina blocks. Napoli responds with a blow from outside by Mario Rui that engages Cragno and an attempt by Mertens, served by Petagna, with the ball skyrocketing. Good opportunity for the hosts at the beginning of the second half, with Dalbert’s plate not finding the mirror. A few minutes later, Cagliari took the lead with the complicity of Ospina: Gaston Pereiro’s left-footed shot from the edge does not seem irresistible, but still slips the visiting goalkeeper who evaluates the rebound badly (58 ‘).
The Colombian redeems himself immediately, keeping the Neapolitans alive with a miracle on the gored of the solitary Deiola. Then Baselli blatantly fails the tap-in on the rebound. Spalletti seeks the shock with the triple change and the return to the back four: out Jesus, Demme and Ounas, in Fabian Ruiz, Ounas and Osimhen. But the Sardinians show great solidity and intensity, closing the spaces well and battling on every ball. In addition to continuing to make himself threatening: the newly entered Marin catches Joao Pedro, the Brazilian’s bucking ends with a powerful but inaccurate shot. Napoli tries to accelerate but the Sardinians are very close to doubling with a personal cue from Marin, who gets rid of Elmas and concludes with power: Ospina saves everything by deflecting over the crossbar. From the possible blow of the knockout we move to 1-1: Mario Rui starts the cross towards the far post, Osimhen offs the top of all and bags (87 ‘). In the end, Pavoletti and Marin try again, without success. And Napoli breathes a sigh of relief.