Serie A: Napoli Revive Serie A Title Hopes with Crucial 2-1 Win Over Fiorentina

Napoli secured a vital 2-1 win over Fiorentina to revive their Serie A title hopes, ending a five-match winless streak in the process.

Napoli's Serie A title aspirations received a significant boost as they secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Fiorentina. This win marked Napoli's first league double over Fiorentina since the 2020/21 season, providing a crucial momentum shift in their title pursuit.

A five-match winless streak had seen Napoli relinquish their advantage in the Serie A title race, making this clash with Fiorentina a must-win encounter. The hosts, led by Antonio Conte, were eager to end their longest winless drought in Europe's top-five leagues. As a result, Napoli burst out of the starting blocks, determined to find redemption and reignite their title challenge.

Napoli take all three points! 🔵🔵🔵#NapoliFiorentina pic.twitter.com/d8PtEAklZz

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) March 9, 2025

Napoli created a gilt-edged opportunity to take the lead when Giovanni Di Lorenzo's pinpoint cross found Giacomo Raspadori unmarked in the area. However, Raspadori's tame effort was directed straight at David de Gea, who made a comfortable save. Later in the first half, De Gea was forced to work harder to deny Scott McTominay's stinging drive. Unfortunately for Fiorentina, McTominay's effort was parried into the path of Romelu Lukaku, who capitalized on the rebound to tap into an empty net.

As the first half drew to a close, David de Gea showcased his exceptional goalkeeping skills, denying Leonardo Spinazzola and Giacomo Raspadori with impressive saves. However, he was fortunate to avoid conceding a goal just before the break, as Giovanni Di Lorenzo's powerful effort crashed against the crossbar.

De Gea continued to frustrate Napoli after the interval, producing another outstanding save to deny Raspadori at the near post. Despite his heroics, there was a growing sense that Napoli would eventually find a second goal. This proved to be the case, as Raspadori finally found the net just before the hour mark, collecting a clever pass from Romelu Lukaku and firing an unstoppable shot past De Gea.

With one goal and one assist, Romelu Lukaku is the Panini Player of the Match for #NapoliFiorentina 🏆 pic.twitter.com/yJWt39zyfr

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) March 9, 2025

Fiorentina had offered little threat throughout the match, but they suddenly sparked to life, conjuring up a goal out of nothing. Moise Kean's clever flick set up Albert Guðmundsson, who unleashed a powerful shot from 25 yards that found the net. This set up a nervy conclusion for Napoli, but they were never truly tested, as Fiorentina's efforts, exemplified by Kean's wayward 30-yard attempt, lacked conviction.

Napoli comfortably saw out the remainder of the match, securing a much-needed win that ended their five-match winless streak. However, the scoreline could have been more comprehensive, as Giovanni Simeone squandered a one-on-one opportunity in stoppage time.

Fiorentina, meanwhile, missed the chance to achieve a rare feat – securing consecutive Serie A away wins against Napoli for the first time since October 1995.