May 26, (THEWILL)- Napoli’s hopes of securing European football next season were dashed on Sunday after being held to a 0-0 draw at home by Lecce in their final Serie A match. Despite having 24 shots, with five on target, the reigning champions could not find a breakthrough against the relegation battlers.
An uninspiring first half gave way to a flurry of chances for Napoli after the break. Jens Cajuste struck the post, while Cyril Ngonge rattled the crossbar as the hosts laid siege to Lecce’s goal. However, the visitors went closest in the ninth minute when Patrick Dorgu’s effort cannoned off the upright.
Napoli needed a victory to leapfrog Torino into ninth place and potentially earn a Europa Conference League playoff spot. However, their failure to win means Torino’s 3-0 loss at Atalanta was rendered irrelevant due to their superior head-to-head record over Napoli this season.
The final-day disappointment caps a forgettable title defence for Napoli. Their 53-point tally is the second-worst return by reigning champions in the three-points-per-win era after Milan’s 43 points at the end of the 1996/1997 campaign. Remarkably, it also marked the first time Napoli failed to score against Lecce at home in 13 attempts.
With their European ambitions extinguished, Napoli must regroup for a rebuild ahead of the 2024/2025 campaign as they aim to reclaim the Scudetto. However, it is uncertain if they will still have the irrepressible forward Victor Osimhen to call upon next season with the possibility of a big-money transfer for him on the cards.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
