Napoli Aims for Scudetto Edge as Juventus Faces Bologna in Crucial Showdown

Napoli is on the verge of securing their second Serie A title in three years as they prepare to face a struggling Lecce on Saturday. This match marks the beginning of four matches against relatively modest teams that could see them clinch the championship in spectacular fashion.

Coach Antonio Conte has consistently expressed that the idea of Napoli emerging as Inter Milan’s closest competitors for the Scudetto would have seemed “unthinkable” at the season’s outset.

Indeed, Conte has orchestrated what can only be described as a minor miracle, guiding a club that was still reeling from the worst title defence in Serie A history to a position three points clear at the top of the table, with under a month remaining in the season.

Many would not have envisioned Napoli challenging for Champions League positions after, as Conte put it, they started the season “melting like snow in the sun” with a disheartening 3-0 defeat against Verona.

However, thanks to pivotal signings such as Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay late in the summer transfer window, Conte has assembled a formidable new squad from the remnants of the one that ended a 30-year title drought two seasons ago.

With a guaranteed top-four finish already secured, Conte can almost taste his fifth Scudetto as a manager, adding to his hat-trick with Juventus and the title he clinched with Inter in 2021.

“It’s all in our hands,” Conte remarked following last weekend’s 2-0 triumph over Torino, which featured a brace from McTominay.

“We’ve worked tirelessly, and we are starting to see the results of our efforts… Considering where we began the season, it’s truly remarkable.”

However, the journey hasn’t been entirely smooth for Napoli, with Conte making it known that he expects substantial investment in the squad if he is to continue at the helm in Naples.

Conte is acutely aware of the advantage he has had in not facing any European fixtures during his inaugural season with Napoli, while reigning champions Inter are struggling under the strains of a demanding season.

On Wednesday night, Inter managed to hold Barcelona to an exhilarating 3-3 draw, but it is likely that they will be without their captain Lautaro Martinez, who succumbed to a thigh injury just before half-time in Catalonia.

Meanwhile, the race for the remaining two Champions League spots is fiercely competitive, with only six points separating Atalanta in third from Fiorentina in eighth.

Atalanta should maintain at least a four-point cushion over fifth place as Gian Piero Gasperini’s side prepares for a clash against relegation-threatened Monza, enjoying the advantage of not playing at home where they have only won once in the league since the year began.

In other fixtures this weekend, Juventus will face Bologna in a pivotal showdown for both teams, while sixth-placed Roma’s 18-match unbeaten streak will be challenged when they welcome Fiorentina.

Winger Orsolini has made a significant impact this season in Serie A, with his goal against Inter ten days ago not only aiding Napoli in reclaiming the top spot but also enhancing Bologna’s hopes for Champions League qualification.

The 28-year-old joined Bologna in 2018 after struggling to find his place at Juventus and Atalanta. He recounted that his transfer to Juve from Ascoli a year earlier was a moment he feared he might never belong in top-flight football.

Orsolini will have the chance to make a statement against both his former clubs and potentially secure back-to-back Champions League appearances.

Key Stats

3 – Napoli’s lead over Inter as they head into the closing four fixtures of the season.

6 – The number of sides competing for the two remaining Champions League positions.