AMMAN — Napoli clinched the Serie A title in front of a jubilant home crowd at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Friday, defeating Cagliari 2-0 to seal their fourth league title — and their second in just three seasons.
With only a single point separating them from Inter Milan heading into the final matchday, Napoli knew that victory would guarantee the Scudetto, regardless of Inter’s result. And they delivered, thanks to goals from Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku.
McTominay broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute with a stunning volley from outside the box, sending the stadium into raptures. Just minutes into the second half, Lukaku doubled Napoli’s lead with a powerful solo run, finishing calmly in a one-on-one situation.
Napoli’s performance was as commanding as the scoreline suggests. The hosts controlled 67 per cent of possession and pressed with intensity from the outset, forcing multiple corners and limiting Cagliari to a single shot on target throughout the match. Leonardo Spinazzola and Lukaku both missed clear opportunities to extend the lead, but Napoli’s early strikes proved enough.
Under the leadership of Antonio Conte, Napoli completed a remarkable turnaround after finishing 10th last season. The veteran manager made history by becoming the first coach to win Serie A with three different clubs.
“There was huge pressure on the players all season, and they absolutely deserve this,” Conte told reporters after the match. “We didn’t start the campaign well, but we ended it as champions. This was the toughest challenge of my career.”
Inter Milan, despite winning their final match, finished on 81 points — one short of Napoli’s 82. The Nerazzurri will now turn their focus to salvaging their season in the UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
For Napoli, however, the evening belonged to the players, the coach and the supporters, who celebrated a title that was as deserved as it was dramatic.
