Napoli are prime of Serie A after thrashing Cagliari 4-0 on Sunday in a match which was stopped within the first half attributable to fan dysfunction, as Inter Milan had been held to a 1-1 draw at Monza forward of their Champions League opener at Manchester Metropolis. Objectives from Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Romelu Lukaku and Alessandro Buongiorno gave Napoli their third straight win and a one-point lead over Inter, Torino and Juventus, who they face in Turin subsequent weekend.

Sunday’s show was one other step in the suitable course for brand spanking new coach Antonio Conte, who’s already having to area questions on whether or not his group will problem for the league title.

“Groups are nonetheless settling in because the switch window closed late and we’re all looking for our form,” stated Conte to DAZN.

“We have labored exhausting over the past two and a half months, we have got to maintain pushing ahead with out enthusiastic about anybody else.”

Napoli’s win was marred by ugly scenes halfway by way of the opening interval when the away followers unveiled a banner which mimicked sheep bleating and sparked the throwing of objects between the 2 units of supporters.

That banner got here after Napoli’s followers had been pictured with one other one on their ferry journey to largely rural Sardinia which learn “sheep searching”.

The match was stopped for seven minutes as each house and away ends supporters threw projectiles and flares.

Antonio Conte’s aspect had been already main at that time by way of Di Lorenzo’s wildly deflected 18th-minute opener, and Kvaratskhelia and Lukaku confirmed indicators of a burgeoning partnership by setting one another up for the objectives which sealed the three factors by the seventieth minute.

Buongiorno nodded house the fourth in stoppage time to make it an ideal night time for Napoli and arrange a mouth-watering conflict with Juve.

Inter gave up their league lead as Denzel Dumfries saved a degree for the champions with three minutes remaining after Dany Mota’s good 81st minute header threatened to present Monza their first win beneath new coach Alessandro Nesta.

Simone Inzaghi’s unbeaten aspect, who would have moved a degree above Napoli with a win, had been uninspiring in a largely drab encounter on the U-Energy Stadium and might want to enhance at Metropolis on Wednesday night time, with the Milan derby additionally arising subsequent weekend.

“We created some possibilities however weren’t capable of take benefit. We had been slower and never as on it as we usually are,” stated Inzaghi to DAZN.

Lookman again with bang

Ademola Lookman made positive that Atalanta warmed up for his or her return to the Champions League with the winner in a 3-2 victory over Fiorentina.

Nigeria ahead Lookman didn’t function in Atalanta’s first three league matches after agitating for a switch to Paris Saint-Germain.

However the 26-year-old netted the decisive strike in stoppage time on the finish of the primary half, jinking by way of the Fiorentina defence earlier than capturing previous David de Gea, seconds after Charles De Ketelaere headed Atalanta degree.

Lookman, the hat-trick hero from final season’s Europa League last triumph, additionally floated in a pinpoint cross for Mateo Retegui to move in Atalanta’s first equaliser within the twenty first minute.

His quick affect is nice information for coach Gian Piero Gasperini, whose aspect host Arsenal on Thursday night time and entertained their house followers within the newly-completed Gewiss Stadium.

“We’re very happy to be enjoying within the Champions league this season,” added Lookman. 

“We deserve it so we’ve got to exhibit that once more on Thursday with the identical drive, the identical mentality that we confirmed right this moment.”

Atalanta, whose most up-to-date look within the Champions League was in 2021, performed their first three Serie A fixtures away from Bergamo to permit the membership to place the ending touches to their redeveloped house.

They’re eighth on six factors, three forward of 14th-placed Fiorentina who twice went forward within the first half by way of Lucas Martinez Quarta and Moise Kean however are but to win beneath new coach Raffaele Palladino.

Earlier Genoa snatched a 1-1 house draw with Roma within the last seconds to proceed their constructive begin to the season.

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