Champions League, Napoli-Eintracht 3-0: Osimhen brace and Zielinski penalty

by our correspondent Vincenzo D’Angelo

March 15th
– Milan

Rewriting Azzurri history, this seems to be Luciano Spalletti’s mission in Naples. In Italy and in Europe. There’s no two without three. And then, did the leaders have to betray Serie A? Impossible, also because in the year of the Azzurri’s records, the first historic qualification for the quarter-finals of the Champions League could not be missed by Napoli, which thanks to the double advantage obtained in Frankfurt, liquidated Eintracht (3-0) even at home and enters the G8 of Europe, which not even in the time of Diego Maradona. And he does so driven by his unstoppable superhero, Victor Osimhen: another brace of the season (first in the Champions League), another standing ovation, another monstrous performance, other material to allow Napoli to fly and its fans to dream. It’s up to Italy to celebrate: it hasn’t brought three teams into the top 8 of Europe since 2005-06, a good sign of hope for our entire movement.

ALWAYS VICTOR

—

Glasner had promised an aggressive start to his Eintracht. And instead, after 58 seconds it was Napoli who immediately missed the lead with a shot from Politano, which Trapp dived out of the corner. Napoli sends its message: no relaxation, the approach is right. Except that Eintracht is also different from the first leg: fast, constant dribbling, with more enterprising wingers and midfielders ready to attack. Maradona’s 4-2-3-1 creates many more problems for Napoli than the 3-4-3 of the first leg and the Azzurri are struggling to measure the offensive pressure. The first half goes by quickly, with constant upheavals. Borré (15′) header sends a shiver down the back of Maradona’s 50,000 players, then Kvara and Trapp begin their personal challenge, with the German goalkeeper good at blocking the Georgian on three occasions. And when the interval seems close, here is the feat that uncorks the contest. Lobotka invents a winger magic for Politano, a cross with a kiss on which Osimhen takes the lift, floats into the area and then puts Trapp in with a whip of the head.

BIG PARTY

—

And the second half opens as the first half ended, under the banner of the masked attacker. Everyone takes part in the doubling action, with Napoli moving the ball from left to right, Politano pocketing for Di Lorenzo and Osi pushing into the net into an empty net. Delirium at Maradona, who suddenly falls silent: Osimhen remains on the ground, does not rejoice. His hand remained under his body in the winning split, but nothing serious. Fast swaddling and then big party, with Maradona shouting a liberating “Victor Victor”. Zielinski (19′) also participates in the party, who scores the penalty he had obtained himself. In the stands starts the “oh mom mom mom…” from the time of Maradona. “I saw a great Napoli…” repeat the fans. Hard to contradict them. And if Italy after more than 33 years seems close to being conquered, even in Europe this Naples does not want to set limits. Nor stop dreaming.