Serie A: Napoli's Title Hopes Dented After Goalless Draw with Venezia

Napoli's Scudetto title ambitions suffered a setback as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Venezia, with Ionut Radu's spectacular saves and a resolute defensive display denying the visitors a crucial win.

Napoli's Scudetto title ambitions suffered a setback as they were held to a frustrating goalless draw by a resilient Venezia side at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo. The stalemate marked a significant blow to Napoli's championship hopes.

Venezia began the match with purpose and energy, but it was Napoli's Giacomo Raspadori who came closest to breaking the deadlock. Raspadori unleashed a powerful left-footed strike that crashed against the inside of the left post, rebounding back into play to the relief of the home supporters.

Napoli continued to push forward, and Scott McTominay soon tested Ionut Radu's reflexes with two powerful headers from set-piece deliveries. Radu responded with a pair of outstanding saves, denying McTominay and keeping Venezia on level terms as Napoli sought to maintain pace with league leaders Inter Milan.

A game full of chances for both sides somehow ends goalless! ⚖️#VeneziaNapoli #KeepRacismOUT pic.twitter.com/sQQRaVnRmO

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) March 16, 2025

Just before the interval, Venezia created their most promising opportunities. Kike Perez connected with a cross inside the box, directing a low effort towards the bottom-right corner, but Alex Meret made a comfortable save. Moments later, chaos erupted inside the penalty area as Daniel Fila's shot was cleared off the goal line by Amir Rrahmani. Despite the intense pressure, Napoli almost snatched the lead on the stroke of halftime, only for Radu to produce a spectacular goal-line save to deny Romelu Lukaku's header and ensure the score remained level at the break.

After the interval, Antonio Conte's Napoli increased the tempo, dominating possession and dictating the flow of the game. However, despite their control, they struggled to find the decisive spark in the final third, leaving the scoreline unchanged.

Venezia's winless streak, which began with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Napoli in December, stretched to 11 games. As the match progressed, the hosts appeared increasingly susceptible to conceding the opening goal. Nevertheless, Eusebio Di Francesco's tactical adjustments, introducing fresh legs with 20 minutes remaining, revitalized Venezia's attack and unsettled Napoli's defense, shifting the momentum in the hosts' favor.

Radu is the Panini Player of the Match for #VeneziaNapoli 🧤 pic.twitter.com/KBVOn3LdMG

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) March 16, 2025

Ultimately, neither side managed to find a winning goal, resulting in a 0-0 draw – the first between these teams since December 2003 in Serie B. The stalemate dealt another blow to Napoli's Scudetto aspirations, allowing Atalanta and Inter Milan to gain an advantage. Meanwhile, Venezia remains five points adrift of safety, with relegation to the Italian second tier looking increasingly likely as the season progresses.