Fans of Napoli were able to witness their team’s heroes finally win the Serie A championship on the same day that coach Luciano Spalletti left his position with the club and Zlatan Ibrahimovic declared his retirement from the sport of football.
Fans flocked to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium for the primary purpose of witnessing their side hoist the trophy for the first time in 33 agonizing years. The squad’s 2-0 victory over Sampdoria, who had been demoted, was little more than an appetizer before the main event.
Midway through the second half, Victor Osimhen scored the game’s first goal from the penalty spot. It was the 26th league goal in an incredible season for Osimhen, which made him the all-time leading African scorer in Serie A’s history.
Then, in the 85th minute, Giovanni Simeone made sure that the home team would win the season with 90 points by scoring a magnificent goal from a long range. While celebrating, Simeone held up a Napoli shirt that had been worn by his idol and countryman Maradona.
When questioned by DAZN whether he may go in a high-paying summer transfer, Osimhen responded, “I don’t know, the president has to decide that.”
“The people of Naples are my favorite because they have shown me so much love,” she said. It makes no difference to me what the president decides; I’ll just go along with whatever comes my way.
While still under contract with Napoli, Spalletti will take a yearlong gardening vacation, after which he will return to his vineyard in Tuscany as the oldest ever coach to win the Scudetto. He will be 64 years old at that time.
“Authentic to who I am”
Spalletti has had a lengthy and exciting coaching career, which has won him many of praises but very few trophies. However, the title victory that Napoli achieved was Spalletti’s greatest success.
“I have a responsibility to be honest with myself, and my departure was a choice that I deliberated about and ultimately arrived at. According to Spalletti, “even when I’m at home it’ll be like I was in the stands watching and cheering for them.”
Fans will be hoping that whomever takes over for Spalletti will be able to make use of the immensely talented group that was put together by the departing sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli. This is because players like Osimhen are being courted by wealthier clubs in the countries to the north of the Alps.
“I would tell them to trust these boys because they have a human and playing quality that means you can allow them to keep the ball rolling,” said Spalletti. “I would tell them to trust these boys because they have a quality that means they can keep the ball rolling.”
throughout his farewell match in the Italian Serie A, Fabio Quagliarella was honored by the fans of his former team, Napoli, and he was seen openly crying throughout the ceremony.
The 40-year-old player, who has scored 182 goals in Serie A, was presented with a plaque by fans, who also unfurled a banner in the bleachers that stated “you will never be forgotten by your people.” When he was substituted late in the game, he received a thunderous round of applause from the crowd.
When the former Samp captain left Napoli for their bitter rivals Juventus after just one season in 2010, Napoli supporters considered him an enemy. They did not learn until many years later that a weird stalking plan had pushed him to leave.
Zlatan quits
After AC Milan’s 3-1 win against Verona, which pushed their opponents into a relegation play-off with Spezia who lost 2-1 at Roma, Zlatan Ibrahimovic startled supporters by announcing that he was retiring from football. This came after AC Milan’s opponents were placed into a relegation play-off with Verona.
The 41-year-old player, who has been instrumental in Milan’s rise to the top of Italian football since his comeback in late 2019, was sitting in the stands injured as he has been for the majority of the season before announcing his retirement. Prior to his announcement, he was a vital component in Milan’s revival to the top of Italian football.
On the field at San Siro, Ibrahimovic was overheard telling his opponent, “It’s time to say goodbye to football, not just to you.”
“Right now, I am dealing with much too many different feelings. Forza Milan, and see you later!”
Rafael Leao, who on Friday extended his contract with Milan until 2028 by signing a new one, embraced Ibrahimovic after the latter’s two late goals secured the victory for fourth-placed Milan.
However, a penalty kick taken in the last seconds of regulation time by Paulo Dybala secured a spot for Roma in the Europa League. As a result, Spezia will play Verona in a one-off encounter on the following Sunday to determine the teams’ respective destinies.
Even though Federico Chiesa scored the goal that gave Juventus a 1-0 win against Udinese, they will have to settle for a spot in the Europa Conference League since Roma won. This is providing that Roma will not be barred from Europe by UEFA for financial issues.