Napoli are still champions of Italy, but they’re not playing like champions this season. The guy who could do nothing wrong last year, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, missed a glorious chance in the Serie A blockbuster at Juventus and watched the black-and-whites punish the Neapolitans for their wastefulness with a sucker-punch goal.In the freezing conditions of Juventus’ stadium, Federico Gatti got the only goal of the game shortly after the break and put his team top of the table ahead of this weekend’s games.
Kvara missed a glorious chance for the Azzurri and made thousands of away fans hold their heads in hands with disbelief. Victor Osimhen was released on the right with the visitors breaking and the Nigerian spotted Kvaratskhelia’s run down the middle of the pitch. The ball into Kvara’s feet was perfect, but he put his shot over when he could have picked his spot.
Defender Federico Gatti is quickly becoming Juventus’ main source of goals. After he’d scored the winning goal in the crazy away win at Monza a week ago, he opened the scoring here with a well-directed header.Walter Mazzarri’s side remains fifth in the standings, with no chances of repeating last campaign’s heroics. Juventus, on the other hand, look like the only team capable of challenging Inter for the Scudetto this time around.SERIE A – MATCHDAY 15FridayJuventus – Napoli 1-0 (0-0)/Gatti 51/Saturday 17.00: (4.20) Verona (3.50) Lazio (2.04)20.00: (2.65) Atalanta (3.35) Milan (2.90)22.45: (1.32) Inter (5.70) Udinese (10.5)Sunday 14.30: (3.40) Frosinone (3.35) Torino (2.35)17.00: (2.21) Monza (3.25) Genoa (3.60)20.00: (3.70) Salernitana (3.45) Bologna (2.19)22.45: (2.24) Roma (3.45) Fiorentina (3.60)Monday 20.30: (2.52) Empoli (3.25) Lecce (2.95)22.45: (2.45) Cagliari (3.50) Sassuolo (3.05)***odds are subject to change