Importance Score: 7 / 100 🟠
Napoli secured a comfortable 3-0 victory against Empoli in Serie A action on Monday, fueled by a Scott McTominay brace and a strike from Romelu Lukaku. This win allows Napoli to maintain their pursuit of league leaders Inter Milan in the closely contested Serie A title race.
Napoli Dominate Empoli to Keep Pace with Inter
Napoli responded emphatically to Inter Milan‘s 3-1 triumph over Cagliari on Saturday, reducing the deficit at the top of Serie A to three points with just six games remaining. With this result, Napoli also solidified their position seven points ahead of Atalanta, effectively making the Scudetto battle a two-team affair.
The home side broke the deadlock after 18 minutes when Lukaku skillfully navigated through midfield before delivering a pass to the surging McTominay. The midfielder’s subsequent long-range effort, a powerfully struck low shot, eluded Empoli goalkeeper Devis Vásquez, finding the bottom corner of the net.
Lukaku and McTominay Double Up
Lukaku extended Napoli’s advantage in the 56th minute. The Belgian international expertly collected a perfectly weighted through ball inside the penalty area and clinically slotted it past the keeper. McTominay then completed his second goal just five minutes later, benefiting once more from Lukaku’s assist. Lukaku delivered an incisive cross into the box, which McTominay met with a commanding header, powering the ball in off the underside of the crossbar.
The dynamic duo nearly combined again shortly after, with Lukaku setting up McTominay on a counter-attack. However, McTominay’s attempt to secure a hat-trick agonizingly struck the inside of the post. Later in the match, Napoli defender Juan Jesus was forced off the pitch with an apparent hamstring strain, and Lukaku narrowly missed a further goal, sending a shot wide from David Neres’s delivery.
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“Romelu is an excellent teammate. He pushes everyone in the team, including me, to achieve more goals and generate more opportunities for him and others,” McTominay stated to Dazn post-match. “He is undeniably a top player with an impressive career, and we are delighted to have him here.”
“We need to enjoy ourselves and concentrate on our own performance,” the former Manchester United player added. “We are a formidable team and must maintain this style of play and mentality. Our focus must be internal, and then we will observe Inter’s results.”
Atlético Madrid Rally for Crucial Victory
In La Liga, Atlético Madrid mounted a comeback victory against bottom-placed Real Valladolid, winning 4-2 at a rain-soaked Metropolitano Stadium on Monday, thanks to a brace of penalties from Julián Alvarez.
Despite facing relegation, Valladolid surprisingly took the lead in the 21st minute. Mamadou Sylla calmly converted a penalty which was awarded following a VAR review for a handball by Clément Lenglet. Alvarez responded swiftly, equalizing from the penalty spot just four minutes later after another VAR review determined a foul by Javi Sánchez on Giuliano Simeone.
Alvarez Penalties Secure Atlético Win
Simeone then turned goalscorer in the 27th minute, putting Atlético ahead. However, the visitors leveled the score in the 56th minute when Sánchez’s free-kick took a deflection off Conor Gallagher in the defensive wall, deceiving Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
The home side retook the lead in the 71st minute, with Alvarez converting his second penalty of the night after Henrique fouled Marcos Llorente. Substitute Alexander Sørloth then sealed the victory, netting a close-range goal from a rebound.
“These are vital three points,” Alvarez commented to Dazn. “We must maintain this momentum. Now we focus on [Saturday’s game at] Las Palmas, rest, and prepare. That’s the priority. I had several chances for a hat-trick, but the most important aspect is securing the win. It became challenging at times, but we persevered and succeeded.”
Atlético Madrid, currently third in the league, now have 63 points, trailing Real Madrid by three and Barcelona, the leaders, by seven. Real Valladolid remain on 16 points, 14 points adrift from safety with seven games left to play.