Napoli’s bid to reclaim the top spot in Serie A was thwarted by a resilient Venezia, who held Antonio Conte’s side to a 0-0 draw. Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, Napoli were unable to find a breakthrough, largely due to an outstanding performance from Venezia goalkeeper Ionut Radu.
Radu made seven saves, frustrating a Napoli side that registered 15 shots on goal. The draw, Napoli’s fifth in their last seven league games, leaves them unable to fully capitalize on the upcoming clash between Inter and Atalanta.
“I am satisfied with the performance, then we wanted to win it,” Conte said. “The positive aspect is that we created a lot, the negative is that we didn’t convert them. We had to be more incisive… There are nine games to go, we’ll try to be a nuisance until the end, fighting tooth and nail.”
Conte also highlighted the impact of fatigue and injuries on his squad: “We only have half a team left.” He expressed hope that the upcoming international break would provide a much-needed respite.
Venezia, meanwhile, earned a valuable point in their fight against relegation, sitting second-bottom of the table. They even had a late chance to snatch a victory on the counter-attack in added time.
Bologna Surge into Top Four, Roma Win
Elsewhere in Serie A, Bologna emphatically defeated Lazio 5-0 to climb into the top four. Two goals in quick succession just after halftime, from Riccardo Orsolini and Dan Ndoye, proved decisive in a dominant performance.
AS Roma, managed by Claudio Ranieri, remain in contention for European qualification after a 1-0 victory over Cagliari. Ukrainian forward Artem Dovbyk scored the only goal of the game.
The Serie A landscape will be further shaped by Sunday night’s clash between leaders Inter Milan and third-placed Atalanta. Napoli’s draw, coupled with Bologna’s emphatic win, intensifies the battle for Champions League places.
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