In Naples, Como dazzles, then holds on: a dominant 2-1 victory at the Maradona Stadium

Como sent a very important message to Napoli and to Serie A as a whole with a commanding 2-1 victory at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. The team from Como put on an impressive performance throughout the match, taking the lead through Baturina, allowing Hojlund to equalize, and ultimately securing the win thanks to Douvikas’s goal. Cesc Fabregas’s team then held off the home team’s desperate late attacks, marking Napoli’s first loss of the season following their opening-day victory at Marassi against Genoa. The Lombards, meanwhile, move up to 4 points following their disappointing draw on the road against Udinese, but with a renewed confidence in their abilities.

Como struggled in the opening minutes, making two last-second saves on quick-fire shots by McTominay and Olivera. Then they grew into the game minute by minute, and after a wayward header by Valle, they took the lead in the 17th minute with a classy team play: first, Diao beat Olivera, then set up Baturina, who controlled the ball perfectly and fired a curling shot that Meret couldn’t stop. Lang immediately missed the equalizer, which Hojlund instead scored in the 30th minute with a solo effort and a bit of magic past Ramon. The score, however, was deceptive, as the visitors had previously missed at least two massive chances to double their lead. And indeed, they regained the lead in the 34th minute, when Nico Paz pounced on a ball poorly controlled by Anguissa, allowing Douvikas to put his team back in front.

Paz and Baturina could have even made it three before halftime; then, in the second half, the former Real Madrid player tried again almost immediately. Como nearly fell victim to their own quality of play, as demonstrated by a lapse by Diao that allowed Olivera to get off a first-time shot. Massimiliano Allegri realized the game could still turn around and went for the hat trick: he brought on Spinazzola, Alisson, and, most importantly, De Bruyne, who immediately tested Butez. The Belgian reignited his team’s momentum, particularly by trying to set up Hojlund for another goal. In the closing minutes, Kempf saves the day against the unstoppable De Bruyne, and a Como side on the brink can celebrate the victory—thanks in part to an offside call that prevents Pairetto from allowing Lobotka’s equalizer.

A defeat that stings twice as much for Allegri, especially given the negative news on the transfer front that came in on Sunday. The Livorno-born coach had set his sights on Gabriel Jesus as an offensive reinforcement, but the Brazilian Arsenal forward has chosen Barcelona, where he will undergo a medical exam as early as tomorrow before signing a two-year contract with an option for a third season. A deal worth approximately 15 million euros that definitively closes the door on Napoli, forcing them to give up on a stated transfer target.

The squad at Allegri’s disposal remains top-tier, however, as demonstrated by the pre-match press conference, during which the coach tried to temper expectations: “I’m happy with our roster; there’s no need to bring in someone at all costs. We already have some roster issues, and if a player doesn’t add anything from a technical standpoint, there’s no need to force the issue.” These words now sound like an attempt to manage expectations following a transfer window that—setting aside the buyouts of Hojlund, Milinkovic-Savic, and Alisson Santos, as well as the signings of Badiashile and Favasuli—did not deliver the big-name signings the fans had hoped for.

For Como, however, this victory takes on an even more special significance in the context of European competition. The Larians, making their historic debut in the Champions League, will kick off their campaign on September 10 at home against Leipzig, before embarking on a journey that includes high-profile matches such as a home game against Manchester United at Sinigaglia, a match against European champions PSG, and, in January, an away game at Camp Nou against Barcelona. Fabregas’s team, with performances like today’s, is proving it can compete without fear against anyone, even on Europe’s most prestigious stages.

Napoli, for its part, will have little time to lick its wounds: as early as September 9, the Maradona Stadium will host Arsenal for the first matchday of the Champions League—the very same Arsenal that snatched Gabriel Jesus away from the Azzurri and sold him to Barcelona. First, however, there’s the away league match against Inter at San Siro—another grueling test to gauge the true ambitions of a team that, after Sunday’s match, will need to regain its cohesion and confidence.