Skip to main content
Mostly Clear icon
81º

Napoli fans go from celebrating to reacting to draw

1 / 16

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

Napoli fans on the street in Naples react at the end of the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Salernitana at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium, in Naples, Italy, Sunday, April 30, 2023. The game ended in a 1-1 draw and Napoli missed a chance to win the Italian title Sunday with six rounds left to play. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

NAPLESNapoli fans experienced a full range of emotions Sunday, first celebrating in anticipation of the club’s first Italian league title since the days when Diego Maradona played for the club — then reacting to a draw that pushed back the celebrations for at least a few days.

Napoli was held to a 1-1 draw at home by regional rival Salernitana.

Recommended Videos



Inside and outside the stadium before and during the match, fans waved flags in Italy’s green, white and red colors that featured a “3” on them to signify what would be Napoli’s third Serie A championship after Maradona led the Partenopei to their first two titles in 1987 and 1990.

To clinch with a record six rounds to spare, Napoli needed only to beat Salernitana after second-place Lazio lost 3-1 at Inter Milan earlier.

The results left Napoli with an 18-point advantage over Lazio and the team can now clinch mid-week.

Napoli Mayor Gaetano Manfredi told The Associated Press in a recent interview that there will be “a big earthquake of joy” when Napoli seals the title.

Napoli's game against Salernitana at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona was moved from Saturday to Sunday following requests from local authorities in order to maintain public order.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


Recommended Videos