The team from southern Italy gave life to monotonous soccer, whose dominator has remained on the throne for six consecutive years

Italian football has the prestige of being one of the most competitive in the world, but for more than five years, the Serie A has not been as disputed as its history demands. Juventus of Turin has been the undisputed dominator of Italian soccer for several seasons, but Napoli seems not only to have resuscitated in the current league, but it may resurrect a football whose emotions have been reduced by having a single winner more than five years ago.

Leer en español: ¿Logrará el Napoli revivir, de una vez por todas, una histórica liga monopolizada?

Napoli is reborn from the ashes

The club 'Azurri' started the 2017-2018 season in an exceptional way, since from date 4 to date 14 it marched in the first position. However, the club led by the Italian Maurizio Sarri, stumbled losing to Juventus and tying against Fiorentina in the 15th and 16th date respectively. The first resurrection of Napoli occurred in date 17 when it recovered the tip, but it could only sustain it until the 27th date.

Napoli, a team of contrasts, again staggered on day 27, when they lost to Roma; in day 28, when it tied with Inter; in day 30, when it tied with Sassuolo; and on day 32, when it tied with Milan. At this point of the season, Napoli's title hopes seemed squandered with the high level of Juventus, but the unexpected happened: Juventus tied with Crotone on day 33, and this, added to the fact that the ' Bianconeri' were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League in an agonizing manner by Real Madrid, generated the downfall of the Turin team.

Napoli, despite having added several dates of adverse results, was reborn from its ashes and returned to the fight for the league title at the best time of the season, as it had to face Juventus, leader in decline, on date 34. 'Bianconeri' raised a conservative party, where the need was Napoli, but the struggle of a team that does not get a Scudetto for almost 28 long years was tireless, achieving the triumph in the last minutes of play. Now, the team from southern Italy is only one point away from Juventus, so the 'Azurri' not only gave life to their own club but to a monotonous league.   

Series A, routine league

Juventus of Turin is the most successful club in the history of Italy and has had no major drawback in strengthening its record in recent years, as it has managed to win the last six leagues consecutively, the last three Italian Cups contiguously, and the last five Super Cups of Italy successively. Juventus wins titles in Italy almost as a routine.

This clear dominance of ' La Vecchia Signora' has been feasible thanks to the poor economic and sports stability of its top rivals: AC Milan and Inter Milan, and the lack of hierarchy of clubs like Roma, Lazio, and Napoli. However, it seems that this season, the blue club in southern Italy will end the hegemony of Juventus, at least the one that concerns the Serie A.

The 'Azurri' are below Juventus in the standings of Serie A for just one point, but they have in favor the calendar. 'La Vecchia Signora' will have to face big clubs like Inter and Roma as visitors, and Hellas Verona and Bologna in their home. While Napoli will have to visit Fiorentina and Sampdoria, and must receive Torino and Cotrone. It seems that Italian soccer will have a new break with the possibility of another club, different from Juventus, to raise the Scudetto. Will Napoli be able to revive once and for all a historic league that has been monopolized?

LatinAmerican Post | Javier Aldana
Translated from “¿Logrará el Napoli revivir, de una vez por todas, una histórica liga monopolizada?”