Napoli Clinch Title as Conte Makes History \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Napoli secured their second Serie A title in three years with a 2-0 win over Cagliari, thanks to goals from Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku. The victory made Antonio Conte the first coach to win the Scudetto with three different clubs. Napoli edged Inter Milan by a single point in the final standings.
Quick Looks
- Title Clinched: Napoli beat Cagliari 2-0 to win Serie A.
- Conte Makes History: First coach to win Serie A with three clubs.
- Star Performers: McTominay scored a bicycle kick, Lukaku added a solo goal.
- Emotional Finish: McTominay named Serie A Player of the Season.
- Tense Final Round: Inter’s win wasn’t enough as Napoli finished one point ahead.
- Fan Euphoria: Celebrations erupted across Naples before and after the match.
- Turnaround Season: Napoli rebounded from a 10th-place finish last year.
- Stellar Defense: Conte’s tactics delivered the league’s top defensive record.
Deep Look
Napoli have reclaimed the Italian throne, lifting their second Serie A trophy in three seasons with a commanding 2-0 home victory over Cagliari in the final round. The defining moments came from Scott McTominay’s stunning bicycle kick and Romelu Lukaku’s solo strike, both of whom were personally recruited by head coach Antonio Conte—a figure now etched into Serie A history.
With this triumph, Conte becomes the first manager to win the Scudetto with three different clubs, following prior success with Juventus and Inter Milan. And in the words of Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.”
The Match That Sealed It
Napoli entered the final weekend knowing they simply had to match or outperform Inter Milan’s result. Inter, fielding a weakened lineup ahead of their upcoming Champions League final, dispatched Como 2-0. But it wasn’t enough.
At the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Matteo Politano delivered a perfect cross to McTominay, who launched into an airborne bicycle kick in the 42nd minute for his 12th goal of the season—his best-ever tally since joining from Manchester United.
Just nine minutes into the second half, Lukaku, a late-summer signing from Chelsea, controlled a vertical ball, breezed past two defenders, and slotted home to double Napoli’s lead. It was his 14th goal this campaign, complemented by a league-leading 10 assists.
“For me to come and experience this, it’s a dream,” McTominay said post-match, moments before being named Serie A Player of the Season.
Conte’s Blueprint for Glory
Conte’s appointment last June was a gamble after a chaotic season in which Napoli cycled through three managers—Rudi Garcia, Walter Mazzarri, and Francesco Calzona—following their 2023 title defense collapse. The club finished 10th that year, a stark contrast to the dominant side led by Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia the season before.
But under Conte, stability returned. His defensive organization, tactical discipline, and astute signings restored belief and balance. Napoli boasted the best defensive record in Serie A and key players from the 2023 side—Di Lorenzo, Stanislav Lobotka, and goalkeeper Alex Meret—thrived again under his leadership.
Di Lorenzo, who also captained the 2023 champions, matched Diego Maradona’s legacy by leading the club to its third and fourth Serie A titles.
“This was the most difficult and most unexpected title,” Conte reflected. “That’s what made it the most rewarding.”
Emotions Run High in Naples
While Conte watched from the stands after serving a suspension, he joined the players on the field at full time, embracing Lukaku and sharing a powerful moment with McTominay, who fell to the ground in tears.
In the city of Naples, fans flooded the streets and gathered at jumbo screens in piazzas, turning the victory into a citywide celebration. Players held signs reading “Again” with the number 4 replacing the “A” to commemorate the club’s fourth Serie A crown.
Inter’s Final Push Falls Short
Inter Milan, who had been Napoli’s closest rivals throughout the campaign, did what they could in their final fixture. Stefan de Vrij opened the scoring early against Como, and Joaquín Correa added a second shortly after halftime.
However, with Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram rested, Inter couldn’t make up the one-point deficit in the table. Their focus now shifts to the Champions League final against PSG in eight days.
Como, already safe from relegation, played much of the match with 10 men after Pepe Reina, playing his final career match, was sent off for a foul on Mehdi Taremi.
A Season to Remember
Conte’s Napoli managed the remarkable: a full-season turnaround from mid-table disarray to champions. And unlike the 2023 title win, which was clinched with five rounds to spare, this one came down to the wire—adding drama and emotional weight to an already storied season.
It also helped that Napoli had no European competition this year, allowing the squad to focus entirely on domestic dominance—something Conte and his staff exploited to perfection.
With their fourth title secured and momentum on their side, Napoli now look toward a promising future under one of the most successful and fiery coaches of the modern era.
Napoli Clinch Title
