Gli Azzurri Overcome Lazio in Heated Encounter With Three Sendings-Off
Early efforts from Leonardo Spinazzola and Rrahmani delivered a win for Napoli at Lazio in a fixture overshadowed by three dismissals.
This result pushes Conte's side to just one point behind of Italian league pace-setters Milan, who prevailed on Friday. Inter occupy third place but have a chance to go back to the summit with a victory in their later fixture.
Dominance Amid Injury Woes
Despite missing a number of key personnel, the southern Italian side commanded the game with patient build-up play. The first goal came when Politano's delivery was volleyed home by Spinazzola at the back post.
The advantage was doubled in the 32nd minute as Rrahmani guided a header from another Politano set-piece into the bottom corner. They came close to a third goal shortly after when Eljif Elmas saw his header crash against the crossbar.
Tempers Flare and Dismissals
The second half saw more worry for the away side when a winger limped off. The stoppage triggered a brief confrontation, resulting in bookings for Rrahmani and Lazio's Tijjani Noslin—who subsequently received a second yellow for a foul.
"I must congratulate the lads, playing with such a high standard of technical ability and intensity while preventing the opposition play is difficult," remarked the winning manager. "We played at a very high level of play."
Tensions boiled over again near the end as players from both sides were embroiled in a heated confrontation, requiring the manager to intervene. The two players were dismissed for their part in the incident.
Elsewhere Continental Action
In Spain's La Liga, the Andalusian side endured a 3-0 defeat at home to lowly Levante. The visitors took control with a fine team goal before scoring two further strikes in the second half to seal a convincing victory.
In other news, Real Madrid host major must-win when they welcome Betis, after their arch-rivals increased their advantage at the summit. In the day's other match, Atlético Madrid make the journey to face Real Sociedad.
Turning to Ligue 1, a historic Parisian clasico takes place as Paris FC visit powerhouses Paris Saint-Germain. The fixture represents the first top-flight encounter between the neighbors in over 36 years, adding significant intrigue to the weekend's action.
