Former Milan and Italy head coach Arrigo Sacchi believes Napoli are capable of reaching the Champions League semi-finals following their blistering start to the season.
Luciano Spalletti's side have raced to the Serie A summit with 23 points from their opening nine matches, scoring a league-high 22 goals along the way.
The Partenopei have also netted 17 times on the way to qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages with two games to spare for the first time in their history.
Napoli lifted the UEFA Cup in the 1988-89 season and reached the 2014-15 Europa League semi-finals, but are yet to progress beyond the last 16 of Europe's premier club competition.
However, Sacchi, who won successive European Cups with Milan in 1989 and 1990, is confident Spalletti's men can advance into unchartered territory this term should their campaign continue in the same fashion.
"Beautiful team; they play modern football, they attack as 11 and defend as 11. Sometimes, it seems like they can be on the pitch with their eyes closed," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"They come together with incredible ease and this is the result of the generosity, cooperation and synergy that exists in the squad. Bravo to Spalletti, because here you can see, and a lot, the hand of the coach.
"If they don't fall into the success trap - and I really hope not - if everyone remains humble and doesn't stop running, I think they can go a long way [in the Champions League].
"Who knows, maybe even in the semi-finals if the draws are not too bad? In any case, so far the work of Spalletti's guys is a 10 out of 10.”
Napoli welcome Bologna to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Serie A on Sunday, when they will be aiming to stretch their winning streak across all competitions to 10 matches.
Fiorentina 2-2 Napoli: Kvaratskhelia keeps visitors' slim European hopes alive
Dethroned Italian champions Napoli's hopes of playing European football next season are hanging by a thread after they played out a 2-2 draw at Fiorentina in Serie A on Friday.
Napoli took the lead in the eighth minute through defender Amir Rrahmani, who nodded home a corner by Matteo Politano.
Cristiano Biraghi levelled for Fiorentina in the 40th minute from a free-kick, before M'Bala Nzola put the hosts in front two minutes later when he fired a shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Napoli's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia responded with another stunning free-kick early in the second half to rescue a point for his team.
Eighth-placed Fiorentina, on 54 points and with a game in hand, are five points behind Lazio in seventh.
They can still earn a Europa League spot either by leapfrogging the Rome side or by winning the Europa Conference League final in which they face Greece's Olympiakos on May 29.
Ninth-placed Napoli, on 52 points, still have a slim chance of making the Europa Conference League playoffs.
Data Debrief
Fiorentina left-back Biraghi has now scored six goals from direct free-kicks since the start of 2021-22, which is behind only James Ward-Prowse (seven) - now of West Ham and formerly of Southampton - as the most across Europe's top five leagues in that period.
Kvaratskhelia also levelled via a direct free-kick, making this the first Serie A match in which both teams scored via that route since Fiorentina against Lazio in April 2018 (Jordan Veretout and Luis Alberto in that case).
Southampton 3-1 West Brom (3-1 agg): Saints set up play-off final with Leeds United
Southampton saw off West Brom 3-1 at St Mary's on Friday to set up a Championship play-off final showdown with Leeds United.
Leeds thumped Norwich City 4-0 at Elland Road 24 hours earlier to book their place at Wembley, where Southampton now await on May 26.
The first leg between the Saints and West Brom finished goalless - just like the other semi-final - but the home side's quality told in the end.
Russell Martin's side dominated the first-half possession, with David Brooks going closest to scoring with a shot that hit the outside of the post.
Southampton made the breakthrough via a powerful Will Smallbone finish four minutes into the second half after Gray Diangana lost possession.
Darnell Furlong had a shot helped over by Alex McCarthy, while David Brooks - who assisted the opener - had a strong penalty appeal rejected.
Southampton remained in control, though, and Adam Armstrong scored a second with a shot through Furlong's legs and past Alex Palmer.
Armstrong's second goal arrived from the penalty spot in the 86th minute after Tom Fellows fouled Ryan Manning in the box, rendering Cedric Kipre's late header a mere consolation.
Marc Skinner signs Manchester United Women contract extension
Marc Skinner has signed a one-year contract extension as Manchester United Women head coach with the option of a further 12 months.
The 41-year-old guided United to their first major silverware last weekend with victory over Tottenham in the Women's FA Cup final.
United are fifth in the Women's Super League with one game to go - a massive drop on last term's runners-up finish - but Skinner will stay on.
"It's an honour to extend my stay at Manchester United," Skinner, who was appointed in 2021, told United's official website after the news was confirmed on Friday.
"I've always felt at home here, with our excellent players, staff, and fans.
"Being able to secure the team's first major trophy at Wembley was a real career highlight for me and another sign of our continued growth, on and off the field."
United conclude their campaign on Saturday against Chelsea, who lead Manchester City on goal difference entering the final day.
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