Juventus will return to Turin empty-handed as Luciano Spalletti failed to beat Napoli on his return to the Stadio Maradona.
The Juventus manager opted to field Kenan Yildiz as a false 9, supported by Francisco Conceicao and Weston McKennie, leaving Jonathan David and Lois Openda on the bench. Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram linked up in midfield, while Andrea Cambiaso and Juan Cabal operated on the flanks.
On the other hand, Antonio Conte launched a 3-4-3 formation spearheaded by Rasmus Hojlund, flanked by Diego Neres and Noah Lang, while Scott McTominay and Eljijf Elmas combined in a makeshift double pivot.
Napoli were the far better side from the get-go, firing an early warning through McTominay, whose header whistled past the post.
The home side then took a deserved lead in the sixth minute, when Neres skipped past Teun Koopmeiners before feeding Hojlund at the mouth of the goal. The Dane evaded Lloyd Kelly to poach it home.
Rasmus Hojlund (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
As the minutes progressed, it became agonisingly obvious that Conte had the upper hand in the tactical battle, as Spalletti’s men were struggling to build from the back, while the long-ball option was equally sterile, especially in the absence of a battering ram upfront.
So while the Bianconeri couldn’t pose a threat at Napoli’s goal for the duration of the first half, the reigning champions were marginally close to doubling their lead on a few occasions, but Michele Di Gregorio made a fingertip save on Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s dipping attempt, while another McTominay header went begging.
After the break, Napoli kept pushing for the second, but it was Juventus who forked out an equaliser almost out of nowhere with their first real chance of the game. A sublime team play culminated with McKennie providing the assist for Yildiz, whose precise shot found the bottom corner from an acute angle, leaving Sinisa Milinkovic-Savic.
However, the Bianconeri allowed their hosts to retake the lead with a gift of a goal. Neres tried to find Lang with a cross to the back post. McKennie was able to beat the Dutch winger to be ball, but his woeful ‘clearance’ caused more damage than good, as it allowed Hojlund to nod the ball home from close range.
Juve’s reaction was almost non-existent, especially since Yildiz and Conceicao were already hooked. Edon Zhegrova had an inviting opportunity in the final minute, but it was too central to trouble the goalkeeper.
The Bianconeri remain seventh in the standings, but they’re drifting alarmingly away from the Top Four spots.
Goals: 7′, 77′ Hojlund (N), 58′ Yildiz (J)
Napoli (3-4-3) : Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Di Lorenzo, McTominay, Elmas, Olivera (69′ Spinazzola); Neres (79′ Politano), Hojlund, Lang (85′ Vergara).
Juventus (3-5-2): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Kelly, Koopmeiners; Cambiaso (71′ Kostic), McKennie, Thuram (81′ Zhegrova), Locatelli, Cabal (46′ David); Conceicao (74′ Miretti), Yildiz (74′ Openda).
Yellow cards: Buongiorno 33′ (N), Kalulu 52′ (J), Beukema 70′ (N).
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