Napoli has become the third team in the history of Serie A to win the championship with five games left to play, joining Inter Milan in 2007/08 and Juventus in 2018/19.
This was after a 33-year wait for the title, and they secured it on Thursday night by earning a point away at Udinese, who they drew 1-1 with.
Victor Osimhen scored the equalizer in the second half, cancelling out Udinese’s goal by Sandi Lovric.
The draw gave Napoli a 15-point lead over Lazio, securing their championship win. The celebrations were wild both in Udine and Naples.
Osimhen also made history as the African player with the most goals ever in a single Serie A season, surpassing Samuel Eto’o’s previous record of 21 goals in 2010/11 with Inter Milan. Osimhen has scored 22 goals so far this season.
This is Napoli’s third Serie A title and the first time they have won it since their legendary player Diego Maradona led them to victory in 1987 and 1990.
The team had a chance to win the title at home against Salernitana, but the game ended in a draw, with Boulaye Dia’s goal for the visitors spoiling the party.
Nonetheless, coach Luciano Spalletti expressed how much the title meant to the fans after such a long wait.
“We’re chasing a dream that everyone deserves,” said the Napoli coach. “There are still steps to be taken and we’re ready for the final push. We’re so close and we’ll do what it takes to get the points we need.
“Seeing Napoli win the Scudetto will be an exhilarating experience because it’s a pleasure to watch them play. The final stretch is always the hardest but we’ll enjoy the extended journey as we make it to our destination.
“We’re so close to our goal and we’ll bring our best qualities to the pitch. We want to be remembered for all the great things we’ve achieved this year. We’ll work hard to show what we can do to everyone who supports us and to all the fans who have been incredible. They deserve our total dedication and we’ll do everything we can to achieve our dream together.”
