Napoli overcame Venezia 1-0 and will end 2024 at the top of Serie A. Jack Raspadori’s late strike was enough to seal the deal for Antonio Conte’s men.
Here’s what our boss had to say after the game:
“I’m happy that Jack scored because he’s a lad who’s really committed to our project. He’s a top player and it’s important to have guys like him that we can call upon. We’ve been working for a while on possibly implementing him in midfield, giving the team more flexibility and better build-up play. You can play whatever football you want but what’s important is winning games. We need more players capable of finishing off things.
“Jack needed a goal and so did the team today, given that it seemed the game was cursed. We had many chances including a penalty and hitting the woodwork, and we dominated throughout. I wouldn’t have been surprised if bad luck had come our way at the end, given how things had been panning out.
“I’d like to congratulate the lads because they were smart at keeping balance and calm right until the end, securing us a well-deserved victory. Not even I expected to have got 41 points after 18 games – it’s the result of our hard work, we’ve really sweated for these points. This team is on the up and we’re proud of it. We need to keep this up and have a bit of luck in avoiding injuries. What we’re doing is really satisfying for both me and the fans."
Jack Raspadori, today's matchwinner, expressed his joy:
“I’m delighted to have scored and for the fans – they really were the twelfth man today. The Maradona faithful really drove us on and it feels magical scoring in front of such special fans.
“These three points are vital for us and all we can do today is celebrate. There’s not a lot more to say – winning and scoring in this stadium is a unique emotion.”
Giovanni Di Lorenzo was keen to give the goalscorer special credit:
“I’m really happy for the win and delighted for Jack. He’s a top lad and an important player for us. He gives his all in training and deserves this satisfaction.
“It was amazing to hear the Maradona faithful sing throughout the game, right until the final whistle. We feel at one with the fans and every match they create an amazing atmosphere. We need to keep on going without paying attention to the league table – we’ve got so much more hard work to do and many matches ahead. We’re really happy with how this team is developing.”
Napoli 1-0 Venezia (HT 1-0)
Scorers: Raspadori 79
NAPOLI: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan Jesus, Olivera (Spinazzola 88), Anguissa (Raspadori 70), Lobotka, McTominay, Neres, Kvaratskhelia (Politano 75), Lukaku.
VENEZIA: Stankovic; Altare, Idzes, Sverko, Zampano (Bjarkason 8), Busio, Nicolussi Caviglia, Ellertsson (Anderson 70), Carboni (Candela 60), Oristanio (El Haddad 88), Yeboah (Pohjanpalo 70).
Referee: Cosso
Booked: Altare, Stankovic, Idzes
