Napoli are cruising to their first Serie A title in 33 years, and ahead of their all-Italian Champions League quarter-final first leg against AC Milan tonight, calling them dark horses to lift the trophy would do them a disservice.
It is no longer the hot take it might have been in the autumn to declare Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli one of the best sides in Europe, if not the very best.
With an eclectic squad that includes Fulham flop Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Tottenham outcast Tanguy Ndombele, Diego Simeone’s son Giovanni, and Mexico’s Hirving Lozano, the team from Naples have conquered all in their path and topped their Champions League group above Liverpool.
While the famed Napoli side of the late-1980s was at times a one-man band with Diego Maradona conducting the orchestra, the whole of this team is greater than the sum of its parts.
That said, it has produced two breakout stars who will be among the most courted players in the transfer market this summer. Between them, 22-year-old Georgian Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen have scored or assisted 60 of Napoli’s 91 goals across Serie A and the Champions League this term.
One of Napoli, Milan, Benfica or Inter will reach the final this year. Form points only to Napoli, yet they will be without Osimhen at the San Siro tonight due to a minor groin injury. Spalletti will have to rely on goals from elsewhere.
Full of compliments for the Serie A runaway leaders, Milan full-back Theo Hernandez said about Osimhen’s absence: “It doesn't make a difference. Napoli have great players, they're all good.”
Milan have endured a much more turbulent season. The reigning Serie A champions are fourth, finished behind Chelsea in the Champions League group stage, and squeezed past Spurs in the round of 16 to book their place in the last eight for the first time since 2012.
At the nadir of their season, Stefano Pioli’s side lost five and drew two of seven consecutive fixtures between early January and early February.
To their credit, Milan have found form in recent months. Just 10 days ago, they stunned Napoli, thrashing the champions-elect 4-0 away from home in a clinical counterattacking display in which they had just 39 percent of possession.
The Rossoneri will hope that can give them the edge tonight. But Napoli have become Italy’s — and indeed Europe’s — most consistent team. They will back themselves to make their 22-point Serie A advantage over Milan show tonight, even without their deadliest goalscorer.
