Conte’s favourite players secure Napoli Serie A title

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Conte’s favourite players secure Napoli Serie A title

The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any other have secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years.

Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before half-time and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari on Friday.

Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams.

Napoli needed only to do the same or better than defending champion Inter Milan in the final round of matches, so Inter’s 2-0 win at 10-man Como wasn’t enough for the Nerazzurri.

The results meant Napoli finished Serie A one point ahead of Inter.

The southern squad’s fourth Serie A title overall capped an impressive turnaround after the Partenopei finished 10th during a dismal title defence last season.

Maradona led Napoli to their first two titles in 1987 and 1990. The 2023 team led by Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia clinched with five rounds to spare.

Inter were heading toward the title until McTominay went airborne to redirect a cross from Matteo Politano in the 42nd minute for his 12th goal this season after transferring from Manchester United.

Lukaku, who was signed from Chelsea in August, controlled a long vertical pass and dribbled past two defenders before scoring in the 51st. It was his 14th goal to go with his league-leading 10 assists.

Meanwhile for Inter, defender Stefan de Vrij scored 20 minutes in by redirecting a corner kick with a bouncing header.

Como were reduced to 10 men when goalkeeper Pepe Reina was sent off at the end of the first half for a foul on Mehdi Taremi. It was Reina’s final game before retiring.

Joaquín Correa added another for Inter after the break in almost the same exact moment that Lukaku scored for Napoli.

Inter, who are also preparing for the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in eight days, rested most of their usual starting lineup, including top strikers Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram.

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