Football

Juventus and Napoli played out a goalless draw on Saturday in a highly anticipated Serie A clash that saw two title contenders cancel each other out. The match marked the return of former Juventus coach Antonio Conte to his old stomping ground, but the Italian tactician's Napoli side failed to break down a resolute Juventus defense.Despite a fiercely contested battle, the match at the Allianz Stadium in Turin lacked excitement, with few clear-cut chances created. Juventus maintained their unbeaten start to the season under new coach Thiago Motta, but their third consecutive league stalemate denied them top spot.Torino currently lead the Serie A standings after their 3-2 win at Verona on Friday, followed by Udinese and Napoli, who are both a point ahead of Juventus. Conte's Napoli, despite their impressive defensive display, remain in third place.Conte, who won eight Serie A titles and the 1996 Champions League during his time with Juventus as a player and coach, received a low-key welcome from his former supporters. His team effectively shut down the match, creating the two best chances of the game.Michele Di Gregorio made a fine save from Matteo Politano's free-kick in stoppage time, while Politano also slammed a shot over the bar shortly after the break. Before kick-off, fans paid tribute to former Juventus striker Toto Schillaci, who passed away at the age of 59.However, the moment of remembrance was marred by Napoli supporters in the away end, who were loudly whistled by home fans after yelling out insults. The match itself lacked goalmouth action, with the first real chance coming in stoppage time when Di Gregorio tipped away Politano's free-kick.Politano was again involved in the last major incident of the match, cutting inside and firing a curling shot just over the bar nine minutes after the break. Both teams seemed content with a draw, unwilling to risk defeat to a direct rival so early in the season.In other Serie A action, Venezia claimed their first win since being promoted, defeating Genoa 2-0 at home.

Napoli extended their lead atop Serie A with a dominant 4-0 victory over Cagliari, while Inter Milan stumbled to a 1-1 draw at Monza.Napoli's triumph was marred by fan disorder, with a banner mocking Cagliari fans as "sheep" sparking a barrage of objects between supporters. The match was halted for seven minutes as projectiles and flares flew.Despite the disruption, Napoli remained unfazed. Giovanni Di Lorenzo's deflected opener gave them an early lead, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Romelu Lukaku combined for two more goals before the hour mark. Alessandro Buongiorno sealed the win with a stoppage-time header.Inter's title hopes took a blow as they dropped points at Monza. Denzel Dumfries rescued a point with a late equalizer after Dany Mota's header had given the hosts the lead. Simone Inzaghi's side looked sluggish and will need to improve ahead of their Champions League opener at Manchester City.Elsewhere, Ademola Lookman marked his return to Atalanta with a decisive goal in their 3-2 victory over Fiorentina. The Nigerian forward, who had been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, netted the winner in stoppage time to secure three points for the Champions League-bound side.Genoa snatched a dramatic 1-1 draw with Roma in the final seconds, continuing their impressive start to the season.

Romelu Lukaku's debut for Napoli was a memorable one, as he scored the equalizer that set up a dramatic 2-1 victory over 10-man Parma. The Belgian striker, who joined Napoli from Chelsea on Thursday, came off the bench in the second half and made an immediate impact.Parma had taken a shock lead through Ange-Yoan Bonny's penalty in the 19th minute. Napoli struggled to break down the Parma defense, but Lukaku's introduction changed the game. The former Manchester United and Inter Milan forward scored his first goal for Napoli in the 92nd minute, lashing home a shot past Enrico Delprato, who was playing in goal after Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was sent off in the 76th minute.Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa then headed home the winning goal four minutes later, giving Napoli a dramatic victory. The win was Napoli's second in three matches, while Parma remain winless after three games.In another Serie A match, AC Milan were held to a 2-2 draw at Lazio. Milan coach Paulo Fonseca made several changes to his team following two disappointing opening displays, but the Rossoneri still struggled to find their rhythm.Lazio took the lead in the 66th minute through Valentin Castellanos and Boulaye Dia, but Milan fought back with goals from Strahinja Pavlovic, Rafael Leao, and Tammy Abraham. The draw leaves Milan in 14th place on two points, while Lazio are in seventh place on four points.

Napoli secured their first victory under Antonio Conte with a convincing 3-0 triumph over Bologna, while Roma suffered a shocking 2-1 home defeat to Empoli.Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who recently became a father, played a pivotal role in Napoli's victory. The Georgian star scored the second goal with 15 minutes remaining, ensuring the three points for his team. However, his most impressive moment came in stoppage time of the first half when he delivered a delightful pass over the Bologna defense to Giovanni Di Lorenzo, who opened the scoring.Di Lorenzo, who faced criticism after his performances at Euro 2024, redeemed himself with his goal. Substitute Giovanni Simeone added to Napoli's tally in added time, converting a low cross from David Neres.In contrast, Roma's struggles continued as they lost to Empoli at home for the first time in their history. Emmanuel Gyasi and Lorenzo Colombo scored for Empoli, while Eldor Shomurodov's late goal proved to be a mere consolation for Roma.Paulo Dybala, who recently saw his move to Al Qadsiah collapse, was unable to inspire Roma to victory. The team was booed off the pitch for their lackluster performance, which saw them fall two goals behind against a relegation-threatened side.Meanwhile, Che Adams emulated Denis Law by scoring the decisive goal in Torino's 2-1 win over Atalanta. The Scottish striker netted his first goal for Torino since joining as a free agent last month, tapping home the hosts' second four minutes after half-time.Adams' goal and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic's penalty save in stoppage time secured Torino's second victory in two matches. The win came after thousands of fans protested outside the stadium, demanding the sale of the club's owner.Fiorentina were held to a goalless draw by Venezia in the day's other early kick-off.

Napoli's Champions League aspirations took a significant blow on Saturday as they suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat to relegation-threatened Empoli in Serie A. The loss leaves the defending champions languishing in eighth place, six points adrift of Roma, who currently hold the fifth and final qualifying spot for next season's elite club competition.Empoli, battling to avoid relegation, stunned Napoli with a lightning-fast start. Just four minutes into the match, Alberto Cerri rose unmarked at the back post to head home a cross, marking his first Serie A goal in three years. The hosts could have doubled their lead later in the first half, but Nicolo Cambiaghi's powerful drive rattled off the post.Napoli, despite their dominance in possession, struggled to create clear-cut chances against a resolute Empoli defense. The visitors' hopes were further dashed when Empoli goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario produced a string of impressive saves to deny Victor Osimhen and Hirving Lozano.The result leaves Napoli facing an uphill battle to secure a top-four finish and a place in the Champions League. With just six games remaining in the season, they must overcome a significant points deficit and hope that their rivals falter.Meanwhile, Empoli's victory provides a much-needed boost in their fight against relegation. The win lifts them to 15th place in the table, four points clear of the drop zone.

Barcelona's Champions League resurgence continued on Tuesday as they secured a 3-1 victory over Napoli at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, advancing to the quarterfinals with a 4-2 aggregate score.The Catalan giants, who had been eliminated in the group stage for the past two years, took an early lead through Fermín López's 15th-minute strike. João Cancelo doubled their advantage just two minutes later, capitalizing on a rebound from Raphinha's shot.Napoli responded with a goal from Amir Rrahmani in the 30th minute, but Barcelona regained control in the second half. Robert Lewandowski sealed the win in the 83rd minute, tapping in a cross from substitute Sergi Roberto.The victory marks Barcelona's first Champions League quarterfinal appearance since 2019-20 and provides a much-needed boost to their season. The club has struggled domestically, being eliminated from the Copa del Rey and trailing Real Madrid by seven points in La Liga.Coach Xavi Hernández praised his team's performance, saying, "We have been criticized unfairly, and today we showed that this team is prepared to compete in Europe. We are among the best eight teams in Europe. We have to enjoy it."Barcelona's victory also has financial implications, as the club has been facing financial difficulties in recent years. The extra income from reaching the quarterfinals will provide a much-needed boost.The Catalan club has now extended its unbeaten streak against Napoli to six matches in all competitions. They will face a tough test in the quarterfinals, but their recent form suggests they are capable of challenging for the title.

Napoli's Serie A title hopes suffered a setback on Friday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Torino at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The result leaves Napoli seventh in the standings, two points behind Atalanta in the Europa Conference League spot and seven points adrift of the Champions League positions.Antonio Sanabria's acrobatic overhead kick in the 64th minute canceled out Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's opener for Napoli three minutes earlier. The draw dents Napoli's hopes of securing European football next season and comes at a crucial time ahead of their Champions League showdown at Barcelona on Tuesday.Napoli are level at 1-1 with Barca following the first leg in Naples last month, and a place in the quarter-finals of Europe's top club competition is up for grabs. However, Napoli's domestic form has been inconsistent of late, and they have now won just one of their last four Serie A matches.Inter Milan, who lead Juventus by 15 points at the top of the table, are red-hot favorites to win the Scudetto from Napoli. Inter host champions-elect Inter Milan on Saturday, while Napoli face Bologna on Sunday.Napoli's draw with Torino highlights the challenges they face in maintaining their title challenge and securing European football next season. They will need to improve their domestic form and find consistency if they are to achieve their goals.

Barcelona's Champions League hopes have been dealt a significant blow with the news that midfielders Pedri and Frenkie de Jong are set to miss the second leg clash against Napoli due to injuries.De Jong suffered a right ankle sprain in Sunday's goalless draw at Athletic Bilbao, while Pedri picked up a new injury to his right hamstring. The club has not specified the duration of their absence, but both players could be out for more than a month.This is a major setback for Barcelona, who are already without Sergio Busquets due to suspension. Pedri and De Jong have been key figures in Xavi Hernandez's team this season, and their absence will be a significant blow to the team's chances of progressing in the Champions League.De Jong has been sidelined earlier this season with a right ankle injury, while Pedri has been plagued by right thigh problems. This is the third time Pedri has suffered a right thigh injury this season.Pedri is also expected to miss Spain's international friendlies against Colombia in London on March 22 and Brazil at Santiago Bernabeu four days later."They are two very influential players in our game, two very important players. We will miss them," said Xavi after the draw at Bilbao.Barcelona will host Napoli on March 12 in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie. The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw, so the tie is finely poised.Without Pedri and De Jong, Barcelona will have to find a way to replace their creativity and energy in midfield. Gavi, Nico Gonzalez, and Riqui Puig are all options for Xavi, but none of them have the same experience or quality as Pedri and De Jong.The injuries to Pedri and De Jong are a major blow to Barcelona's hopes of winning the Champions League this season. The Catalans have not won the competition since 2015, and they will need to be at their best to overcome Napoli and progress to the quarter-finals.