February - Europa League Progression
February would bring a much much tougher test than the last month. With teams like Fiorentina, Roma and a two legged tie against German side Stuttgart in the Europa league,they would be really pushed hard to see just how strong they are. First, was Empoli who provided absolutely no test for the Azzurri.
On form youngster Gennaro Tutino begun the game with a quick goal in the first few minutes of the game. With the ball at his feet, and a back line to bend at will the Italian magically used what is famously known as 'The Berbatov spin' to beat one of the defenders, steam on and slot the ball into the bottom corne of the net.
Napoli would have liked the second goal to have come sooner, but they did dominate the entire game and finally they got the cushion to fall back on. Marek Hamsik scored from a free kick conceded by Empoli in the 60th minute. Another three points for the topside in the league.
Pescara played Napoli at their own stadium in the second game of the month, and Napoli became absolutely rampant. Firstly, Higuain started the game in the 15th minute by scoring a wonder strike from 30 yards out. on the volley, the striker chested down a deflected Hamsik shot and sweetly belted it into the top corner of the Pescara net.
He scored again ten minutes later. When Stanciu drilled in a ground cross, the argentine used the side of his right foot to create dip and spin on the ball to counter the power which helped the shot into the net. The ball hit the top left corner, it was a truely brilliant strike.
Pescara defender Antonio Bocchetti scored the third goal of this game. But at the wrong end of the pitch. Moura's corner was flung in two minutes after the second and the defender went up for the header to clear the danger. The ball took a sudden dip, he panicked, tried to clear with his foot on the volley, but sliced it and put it into his own net.
The Partenopei's opposition was finished off just 30 minutes in as Higuain scored his third goal of the game making things go from bad to worse for the Biancazzurri.
A bore draw unfortunately in the next game. Napoli vs Fiorentina has brought over 15 goals in the last three games, but this time round they bled out a complete 0-0 stalemate. The best chance of the game possibly went to Stanciu who jumped up high to reach Insigne's cross from deep. The Romanian attacking midfielder "Did a sort of flying kick" as the commentators put it but couldn't get enough on it to put the ball in. It fell to William Carvalho though who had just enough time to head powerfully at the goal...He blazed it over though.
Baggio's men were nearly through the worst of the Serie A games this month, but still one more toughy to go through. Roma. A team they have beaten three times before in the past under roberto Baggio, but certainly not a team to underestimate. They can take anyone down on their day.
Thankfully for Napoli, it wasn't their day. Nenad Tomovic, Roma's right back hilariously booted the ball into his own net making the score 1-0 to Napoli. It's unclear what the right back was actually attempting to do, but we hope what he was trying to do didn't include purposely scoring for his teams rivals.
It took a while but finally they got the second goal of the game. Napoli...that is. Duvan Zapata taking his chances after Higuain was dropped purely due to fitness issues. The Colombian took his chance to score a header from Moura's corner and sent Napoli further into the lead.
The South American hot prospect did so again exactly 15 minutes before the games final whistle. He took the opportunity to score the one on one chance created by his captain, Hamsik.
Napoli were knocked out of the Champions League in the first half of the season. Real Madrid and Manchester City managed to surpass to the next round whilst Napoli just edged Monaco to take the Europa League spot. They would be starting the campaign against Stuttgart, who were considered definite underdogs for this one.
Duvan Zapata, took his chances in the first half of the month, and carried his good form by scoring in the 2nd minute of the game. Lucas Moura scored the second of the game ten minutes later and Napoli were a two goals to the good.
Gabriel Torje, pulled the Azzuri back quickly though. Four minutes had gone by since the second Napoli goal and Torje wasted no time bringing them back to just one goal apart.
Zapata scored quarter of an hour later to make the score 3-1. Two goals ahead of Stuttgart, the Partenopei were happy to sit back and soak up the pressure which they did very well. Stuttgart put so much effort put couldn't get passed the 'bus'. They had worn themselves to the ground and couldn't stop Dries Mertens from breaking away on the counter and scoring in the 90th minute.
Verona tested nothing worth testing in the next game. It was as just like a training session for Baggio's team. Mertens scored the first goal of the game from the spot, Fabriazio Cacciatore conceded the spot kickand as a result, was booked.
Mertens scored a few minutes later from a free kick. Again, Fabriazio conceding that, and getting sent off for the foul on the left winger. The Belgian curled the ball around the wall and into the net to make the score 2-0.Duvan Zapata continued his form as well, by scoring from around twelve yards out.
The next game would determine either Stuttgart's or Napoli's fate in the Europa league. Three goals ahead, surely Napoli were through? Or could the Germans do the unthinkable and score three to make it through on away goals. Or would they score more?
Well, one team certainly scored three goals. But it wasn't the team who need them. Despite scoring first in the 14th minute, Timo Werner would be left disappointed as
Pereyra, Zapata, and Lucas Moura all scored to send Napoli in the the round of 16.
Thoughts on the report
Baggio: What a month. Completely unbeaten and through to the next round of the Europa league. I couldn't ask for much more from the lads, they were amazing. Even in the game against Fioro they were awesome. We were just so unlucky not to score. We'll have to make sure bad luck doesn't get the better of us next time round.We are doing so well, just three months of hard work and performances like these and the league is ours.
Hamsik: We were ever so good this month. Every game we showed true class, we showed how good you need to be to play for this team. We set an example to other teams, we set a standard. We sent a message to all other Serie A teams; Come get us. We are the best team in Italy and we want to keep it that way.
Thirteen out of fourteen points. Of course we'd like that to be all fifteen next time, but we were just on the wrong end of luck in our third game against Fioro. I feel sorry for Stanciu, he was unlucky not to win the game late for us in that match. I was watching from the bench, so all I could think when William Carvalho put the ball over he bar was how I wished it could have been me. He was really cut up about it.