Nine points out of nine possible: Antonio Conte's Napoli was quick to display his ambitions in this start of Serie A. With a third consecutive success, this time on the lawn still a tracking of La Fiorentina (3-1), the Partenopei continue their perfect start. This victory is very timely named before the Champions League shock against Manchester City and confirms that, despite the injury to Romelu Lukaku, the Neapolitan team has found new resources. The tale footprint is already being read in intensity and tactical discipline, but also in mentality: no question of lifting foot, even far from the maradona. The match against Fiorentina was the ideal expression field for new recruits. Kevin de Bruyne opened the scoring on a penalty spot in the sixth minute and already signed his second goal of the season. In the process, Rasmus Højlund, perfectly served by Spinazzola, doubled the punching the central axis of the Viola. Finally, on the return from the locker room, Sam Beukema scored the third Neapolitan goal on Corner, definitively sealing the victory.
Three goals, three recruits: the transfer window wanted by tale bearing fruit, offering a more vertical, more efficient and above all less predictable napoli. Despite a late goal from Captain Ranieri for Fiorentina, the Neapolitans have never really trembled: “Football is constantly evolving, and we must be ready to question ourselves to try to integrate these changes and improve tactically and technically. We made an excellent match against a team that came out of two conference finals and a semi-final. We came to a difficult stadium to play an important match. If I had to find a negative point, it would be the last straight line, where we struggled and risky to put our opponents back in the match: we must improve this. I treat boys like brothers, or fathers, and they know what they need to improve. The beginnings were important because we need everyone ”. Beyond the Canon departure, a whole recruitment strategy is currently rewarded in Campania.
Højlund scorer for his great first
With this third row victory, Naples shares the head of the championship and sends a clear signal to his rivals. The absence of Lukaku did not weigh on the dynamics. The team seems to have found an offensive balance and a variety of options, which is auspicious before the European campaign: “We want to continue to progress and place the bar higher. We start; We have recruited a lot of players to expand the workforce. The base of last year must keep this mentality, and those who arrive must adapt. We need new players. They will represent the future of Naples, but we also need it for the present. The performances of those who start were good. Naples reacted intensity during most of the match, we had a solid approach. We dominated the match, we created many opportunities and forced to make many stops. We cannot accept such an end. We have to progress, they know it. I like guys like sons, or brothers, because I am not so old, and they know what I liked and what we have to improve. We could have scored another goal with Elmas. These are matches where you have to fight to the end ”. Antonio Conte, faithful to his style, brought rigor and character to a group that has not lost its creativity, as evidenced by the combinations between Anguissa, Di Lorenzo and Spinazzola. Arrived this summer to bring power and depth, Rasmus Højlund did not take long to seduce the Neapolitan public.
Scorer from his first tenure in Serie A, the Danish signed a goal full of composure against the Fiorentina, deception of Gea of a crossed strike after a call in the back of Pongracic. Its speed and aggressiveness in the surface correspond perfectly to the direct style wanted by Antonio Conte. Already adopted by the locker room, Højlund suggests a formidable duo with Lukaku when he returns from injury: “I don't invent anything, I base myself on what I see in training. The boy quickly joined the game. He had already played in Italy and came from a big club, so he brings a lot of experience. It is still very young, and it is up to me to continue working it, as I will do with Lucca and all the others. De Bruyne, for example, did not recruit confirmed players, so I repeat: you will have to be patient with them. Do not put them too much forward or eliminate them if they make mistakes. Lukaku is injured. We brought Hojlund to replace Romelu. It is not a question of space. Naples dominated the match today, beyond offensive spaces. You also have to keep the ball, all the strong attackers of the teams who want to dominate the matches do it ”said the Italian coach, while the Danish striker has not praised his new tactician: “I have only known him for three days, but he is a very direct coach, with whom I have a good relationship: I am still young and I still have a lot to learn. I sometimes had difficulties in certain groups, but here I immediately felt at ease; It's an excellent start. I am very happy to play for this incredible club, with wonderful supporters ”.
At 32, Kevin de Bruyne did not only come to distribute the game: he marks and already assumes a leader's role in the tale team. His penalty transformed with composure from the sixth minute against the Fiorentina launched Naples in Orbit, bringing her total to two goals in three days. Positioned a notch higher than under Pep Guardiola, the Belgian becomes the conductor of Napoli and a precious relay for Højlund and the wingers: “We tried to find a solution. A good coach must make players cohabit. Last year, field circles were essential for the Scudetto. Kevin's arrival could have left one of the three on the bench, but I think the role we create to him is perfect. We try to give fewer landmarks to our opponents, last year too, we exercised a very strong pressing: we must be prepared for these kinds of situations, which also present risks, so I tactically support them. Kevin is a genius, we try to create a new role for him that corresponds to what he can bring us today ”. Naples therefore seems to be armed to keep the distance and transform this canon start into a real race for Scudetto. The tifosi, still marked by the 2022-2023 historical season and the return to the throne of Italy last year, can again dream of great.
