Italian press hail Napoli's return to 'PARADISE' after Serie A triumph

‘Were you watching, Maradona?’: Italian press hail Napoli’s return to ‘PARADISE’ after ending their 33-year wait for a Serie A title and call for their rivals to ‘bow down’ before the new champions

  • Napoli came from behind to draw 1-1 with Udinese and seal the Serie A title
  • Goal scoring hero Victor Osimhen featured heavily across the Italian front pages
  • Napoli and Udinese fans fight ON THE PITCH with belts being used as weapons 

Napoli ended their 33-year wait for a Serie A title by coming from behind to draw 1-1 at Udinese on Thursday night. 

Victor Osimhen scored the goal to secure the Scudetto, having led the way for his side all season on his way to the golden boot, sparking scenes of jubilation – as well as reports of violence in Udine.

And the Italian press have been quick to laud the side that have been perched at the top of the table for most of the season, waiting for confirmation of what many had already anticipated would be a historic triumph. 

The club’s last Scudetto came during the Diego Maradona era – whose likeness can be found emblazoned across the southern Italian city – with a number of fans wearing shirts with his name on the back. 

And Tuttosport were quick to invoke perhaps the most legendary figure in the club’s history, with the headline ‘Are you watching, Maradona!’, with a picture of goal scorer Osimhen. 

Victor Osimhen scored the goal to secure a 1-1 draw at Udinese and seal the Serie A crown


Osimhen featured heavily across the Italian front pages after his goal scoring heroics

The southern Italian side’s victory sparked jubilant scenes with Napoli supporters quick to celebrate

Osimhen’s strike was his 22nd in the league – surpassing Samuel Eto’o 12-year record for the most goals scored by an African player in the Italian top-flight. 

It was may be a suggestion from Tuttosport that the Nigerian forward has forged himself as a new hero for the club’s faithful, although he is still some way off matching the Argentine’s legacy. 

Unsurprisingly given his impact this term, Osimhen featured on the majority of the front pages on Friday morning in Italy. 

Corriere dello Sport ran the headline ‘Napoli champions – bow down!’, with a flag featuring Maradona’s likeness in the background, below which can be read ’33 years after a Scudetto that has no equal, it has been won by a squad of untouchables’.

Osimhen has starred throughout, but several players asserted themselves on the European stage who will surely attract the interest of Europe’s biggest names, such as Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Kim Min-jae and Eljif Elmas.

Italian daily Quotidiano Sportivo ran the headline ‘Napoli’s gold has three colours’, with a graphic of the country’s flag, seemingly claiming the club’s victory as a triumph for the whole nation. 

There is thought to have been a historic rivalry in Italy between the southern and northern cities.

Napoli hero Maradona infamously called on the support of Neapolitans at the 1990 World Cup hosted in Italy, claiming: ‘The Neapolitans are being asked to be Italians for one night, while the other 364 days of the year they get called (an Italian slur roughly translated as peasants),’ highlighting the tension between the two regions. 


Quotidiano Sportivo claimed that Napoli’s success had ‘three colours’ while La Gazzetta dello Sport ran an image of Maradona embracing Osimhen

Rival supporters clashed on the pitch after Napoli clinched the Scudetto at Udinese

Napoli fans were met by hostile home supporters armed with belts and batons

La Gazzetta dello Sport published a photo of the club’s jubilant fans celebrating the historic win beneath the headline ‘Napoli in paradise’ with a composite image of Maradona embracing Osimhen. 

It serves as another reminder that Napoli fans have a new title-winning hero in this new-look side that has dominated the Italian league to win with five games to play, 16 points clear at the top of the table. 

However, not all the countries news outlets recognised the historic evening for Napoli, with Roman outlet Il Romanista running an image of Jose Mourinho with the headline ‘Inter are ours’.

Roma are set to take on the Nerazzurri on Saturday evening in the battle for a Champions League spot, with no mention of Napoli’s Scudetto success coming on the front page.  

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