Matteo Politano knocks out Milan and packs overtake: Napoli second

Easter Monday gives Serie A a new first chaser to the leader Inter. It is Napoli, which in the big match at the Maradona Stadium knocks out AC Milan and overtakes it in the standings. Decisive is Matteo Politano, who was on the pitch in Zenica against Bosnia but who, like several of his national teammates (from Barella to Mancini, from Scalvini to Raspadori), returns to the goal in the first round of the championship after Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup and signs the very heavy 1-0 that relaunches Antonio Conte’s Azzurri.

There was no shortage of formation problems for Napoli, which also had to deal with an important last-minute absence against Milan: it was that of Hojlund, who was replaced in the center of the attack by Giovane and joins the list of unavailable bigwigs of the caliber of Lukaku and Di Lorenzo. Yet the former Verona man manages almost immediately to trouble Maignan, who risks too much by attempting to dribble him with the ball. Earlier Pavlovic had made himself dangerous, with a header not far wide.

The same Pavlovic and Spinazzola create the next dangers, in a challenge that seems to see the professional strikers struggling. Proof of this are the good chances not taken advantage of by Nkunku (inaccurate) and again Giovane (closed down by Pavlovic) that set Napoli and Milan on their way to the natural conclusion of the first half without any goals on the scoreboard. The hosts, however, approach the resumption in a different spirit, with Maignan having to work overtime on Giovane and De Bruyne. Then came the pinwheel of substitutions, which did not seem to change the specific weight of the great challenge.

The turning point then came in 79′, when Alisson Santos rewarded Olivera’s insertion on the left for a cross that De Winter extended for the decisive insertion of Politano, who had been on the pitch for just five minutes and was adept at striking with a counter-balance, surprising Maignan. At the expiration, then, Leao sends the ball of Milan’s possible equalizer very high.

Acc Milan returned to losing ways after the Olimpico knockout against Lazio and found themselves collecting only 3 points in their last three games. Napoli, on the other hand, continues to win, putting the arrow up and climbing to 65 with the Rossoneri stuck at 63. Inter is at 72, and behind it now finds itself a new, old rival.