Napoli

Walter Mazzarri’s team, who had lost four of their last six matches including last weekend’s 3-0 reverse at Torino, were looking for a first home win in seven attempts, such is the extent of their decline since claiming the Scudetto under Luciano Spalletti last season.

Matteo Politano’s penalty – the club’s first league goal since December 16 – had spared their blushes before half-time after Antonio Candreva heaped more woe on the underperforming Azzurri with his first-half opener.

Mazzarri’s men were frustrated in their bid to complete the comeback, with last term’s star man Khvicha Kvaratskhelia doing his best to grab a second-half winner – seemingly to no avail.

That honour eventually fell to Rrahmani as, six minutes into second-half stoppage time, the Kosovan centre-back capitalised on a defensive mix-up to fire Napoli up to sixth place in the table.

True to recent form, the Partenopei struggled from the get-go. Norbert Gyomber tried to catch out the home defence with a snapshot from distance in the 12th minute, but Pierluigi Gollini was alert to the danger and pushed the ball around a post.

Loum Tchaouna soon let rip with his left boot after being put through by Candreva, but again Gollini made the block.

Just before the half-hour mark Candreva fired Salernitana ahead in superb fashion. Domagoj Bradaric set him up before he put Politano on the ground and then beat Gollini with a fine finish.

Napoli took the hint and tried hard to bite back before the break, with Guillermo Ochoa keeping out Giovanni Simeone, Politano missing the mark from an excellent position and Gianluca Gaetano trying his luck from distance only for Salernitana’s Mexican goalkeeper to watch it sail wide.

Politano did level four minutes into stoppage time, though. Federico Fazio fouled Simeone in the Salernitana box and the Italy winger made no mistake from the penalty spot.

Jens Cajuste enjoyed a double chance to turn the game in Napoli’s favour when play resumed; first the Swede headed just wide from a corner, then he smashed off-target with his right foot with Ochoa beaten.

Kvaratskhelia forced a frantic save from Ochoa in the 72nd minute as Napoli pushed harder for the win, with the Georgian coming even closer in the last 10 as he arrived from the left flank to unleash a rocket that took a deflection off Gyomber and shaved paint off a post as it went out.

Ochoa continued to fight fires, next repelling Giacomo Raspadori, but right at the death he and Fazio would make a hash of clearing a cross, allowing Rrahmani to ping in a dramatic winner.

Spalletti said a decision has been made on his Napoli future before kick-off, with many expecting the Partenopei boss to depart, yet his side initially appeared far from distracted at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.

Victor Osimhen seized on an early Lukasz Skorupski mistake to open the scoring before doubling his – and Napoli's – tally after 54 minutes with a powerful finish across goal.

However, Lewis Ferguson halved the arrears just past the hour before De Silvestri headed home with six minutes remaining, and only the offside flag denied Nicola Sansone a late winner as Napoli were forced to cling on. 

A terrible pass from Bologna goalkeeper Skorupski gifted Napoli their 14th-minute opener as Osimhen intercepted on the edge of the area and finished into an empty net.

Skorupski somewhat made amends by thwarting both Osimhen and Alessio Zerbin as Napoli threatened to extend their lead before the break.

Marko Arnautovic skimmed a rare Bologna chance across the face of an empty goal after the interval before Osimhen furthered Napoli's advantage.

The Napoli striker rolled onto Bartosz Bereszynski's delicate throughball before firing through the legs of Skorupski.

An unmarked Ferguson pulled one back shortly thereafter, tapping in a rebound after Pierluigi Gollini saved from Sansone, who subsequently assisted De Silvestri's headed equaliser with a delightful corner.

Sansone then thought he had snatched a late victory with a one-on-one finish, only to be denied by a belated offside flag. 

De Laurentiis angered the continent's governing body and others ahead of the new campaign when he said he would no longer recruit individuals eligible for the prestigious continental international tournament.

Unlike other major representative events, such as the European Championship and Copa America, AFCON is usually held midway through the European season, where many of its stars ply their trade.

This year's Qatar 2022 World Cup represents a break from the norm in a mid-season staging, though that was a decision dictated by the weather and the top leagues will pause for the competition.

De Laurentiis has been widely condemned for his words stating he would not bring such players to the club comments and now the continent's governing body have weighed in on the matter too.

"CAF is appalled by the irresponsible and unacceptable remarks made by Napoli President, Mr Aurelio De Laurentiis on African players and the Africa Cup of Nations," read an official statement.

"By publicly declaring that players who sign for Napoli must sign a waiver denouncing participation in the Africa Cup of Nations as a condition of employment, De Laurentiis' comments are likely to fall under Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations.

"CAF therefore urges UEFA to initiate disciplinary investigation against him. We have no doubt that Napoli and UEFA are as committed as CAF is to these global humanitarian objectives. 

"Are we to assume that the chairman of Napoli is going to include similar restrictive conditions to players from South America, Asia and other Confederations prohibiting them from playing in their Continental competitions which are important for the development and growth of football globally?"

The next iteration of AFCON is set to be held in January 2024 in the Ivory Coast, having been postponed from June and July 2023 over weather concerns.

The sporting world mourned the death of a legendary figure after Maradona died on November 25 at the age of 60.

He won 91 caps for Argentina between 1977 and 1994 - including leading his country to World Cup glory in 1986 - and will forever be an icon at Napoli, having won the Serie A title twice while in Italy.

Cafu may have represented Brazil - Argentina's rivals - but is full of admiration for Maradona, whom he says sits on the same level as Pele when it comes to discussing the greatest of all time.

"He was one of the best ever, without any doubt," Cafu told Stats Perform News courtesy of Nissan.  

"There are only two best ever: Dieguito, as I called him, and Pele.  

"Football lost the magic of touching the ball. Dieguito cared for the football like you care for a child. He really joked with the football and the sport. 

"For us, fans and players, to watch him play was unbelievable, the best thing in the world. I remember a set-piece he took inside the box [against Juventus], he just caressed the ball and laid it in the goal. 

"Now our world is mourning not because we lost a player, but because we lost a football genius."

Pele himself described Maradona as a "true legend" in a heartfelt Instagram post following the news of his friend's passing last month.

"Many people loved to compare us all their lives. You were a genius that enchanted the world. A magician with the ball at his feet. A true legend. But above all that, for me, you will always be a great friend, with an even bigger heart," Pele wrote to accompany a picture of the pair.

"Today, I know that the world would be much better if we could compare each other less and start admiring each other more. So, I want to say that you are incomparable."

Napoli, meanwhile, now play at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, the name of the ground having been changed in honour of their former player.

Lukaku teed up Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia before finding the back of the net, with Alessandro Buongiorno confirming the win in injury time. 

Antonio Conte's side took the lead in the 18th minute when Di Lorenzo saw his effort deflect off Yerry Mina and beyond the clutches of Simone Scuffet. 

The visitors had to wait until the second half to double their advantage, with Lukaku sending Kvaratskhelia on his way before finishing at the near post. 

Kvaratskhelia then turned provider for Lukaku to sweep home Napoli's third after Scuffet's misplaced pass out from the back was ruthlessly punished. 

Further gloss was added to the scoreline in second-half stoppage time when Buongiorno headed home David Neres' inviting corner-kick. 

Data Debrief: Lukaku repaying Conte faith

Lukaku has scored and provided more than one assist in a single match only three times in his career in the top five European Leagues, now doing so twice under Conte. 

The Belgian ended the encounter with an expected goals (xG) tally of 0.77, the highest of anyone in the Napoli team, while also taking his tally to two goals in two games for his new club. 

Brazilian Neres, meanwhile, became the first player to provide an assist in each of his first three matches in Serie A, with Napoli's new recruits impressing.

Maradona and Messi are both regarded as two of the greatest players and the Argentine duo's standing atop football's history is often debated.

Messi is a record six-time Ballon d'Or winner but former Italy defender Cannavaro believes 1986 World Cup champion Maradona is the greatest.

"I respect Messi a lot. For the new generation he is one of the best, but Maradona is different because the football was different," Cannavaro – now head coach of Chinese Super League giants Guangzhou Evergrande after captaining Italy to World Cup glory in 2006 – told Sky Sports.

"They kicked him a lot, but he was always in control and he was tough.

"Messi is top, but Maradona is another world. I never compare him with other players. I never saw Pele, but I watched Maradona, for seven years I saw every game.

"He's not one of the best, he's the best."

Maradona won silverware at Barcelona, helping the Spanish giants to Copa del Rey, Copa de la Liga and Supercopa de Espana glory.

The 59-year-old then went on to become an icon with Napoli, where he won two Serie A titles, as well as UEFA Cup, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana.

Messi has won 10 LaLiga crowns and four Champions League titles among other honours at Barcelona, though he has not tasted senior success with Argentina.

Manchester United, Milan and Paris Saint-Germain are among the major European outfits who are due to farewell high-profile players when free agency comes into force on June 30.

Domestic leagues across the world appear increasingly likely to run beyond that deadline, meaning sides up and down the divisions could be forced to renegotiate deals beyond the typical expiry date.

It remains to be seen how governing bodies will approach the unfamiliar territory but Edinson Cavani, Mario Gotze and Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be watching closely like dozens more across Europe's top five leagues.

These are the stars and solid supporting cast members whose contract situations are worth monitoring in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

LaLiga

Athletic Bilbao: Aritz Aduriz (retiring), Benat, Mikel San Jose
Atletico Madrid: Antonio Adan
Espanyol: Ander Iturraspe
Granada: Roberto Soldado
Real Valladolid: Hatem Ben Arfa
Sevilla: Ever Banega (joining Al Shabab at end of contract), Nolito
Valencia: Ezequiel Garay
Villarreal: Santi Cazorla 

Premier League

Bournemouth: Ryan Fraser
Burnley: Joe Hart
Chelsea: Olivier Giroud, Pedro, Willian
Liverpool: Adam Lallana, Nathaniel Clyne
Manchester City: David Silva (confirmed he will leave at end of contract)
Manchester United: Nemanja Matic, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Odion Ighalo (loan ends)
Newcastle United: Matty Longstaff
Tottenham: Jan Vertonghen, Japhet Tanganga

Serie A

Atalanta: Jose Luis Palomino
Hellas Verona: Fabio Borini
Inter: Ashley Young
Juventus: Gianluigi Buffon
Milan: Lucas Biglia, Giacomo Bonaventura, Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Napoli: Jose Callejon, Dries Mertens

Bundesliga

Bayer Leverkusen: Charles Aranguiz
Borussia Dortmund: Mario Gotze, Lukasz Piszczek
Hertha Berlin: Salomon Kalou
Schalke: Benjamin Stambouli
Wolfsburg: Robin Knoche

Ligue 1

Lille: Loic Remy
Monaco: Jemerson
Nice: Walter Benitez, Arnaud Lusamba
Paris Saint-Germain: Edinson Cavani, Thomas Meunier, Tanguy Kouassi, Layvin Kurzawa, Thiago Silva

Fresh from his move to Camp Nou in the transfer window, Lewandowski will return to familiar surroundings with Barcelona and Bayern Munich – who boast 11 Champions League titles between them – drawn in a tough Group C along with Inter.

And another reunion will see Haaland come up against Borussia Dortmund, whom he left to join Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. They find themselves in Group G alongside Sevilla and Copenhagen.

Another heavyweight clash will take place in Group H, with Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus set to lock horns.

Thursday's 3-1 away defeat to Lazio knocked Napoli out of the Coppa Italia, with the home league game on Sunday giving them a chance for revenge along with the opportunity to reclaim top spot from Atalanta, who beat Milan on Friday.

However, Marco Baroni's side were victorious again, with Gustav Isaksen's goal the difference between the sides in their 1-0 win.

It is the first time in Lazio's history that they have won three consecutive away games against Napoli, while the Partenopei have now lost two of their last three home games in Serie A, as many defeats as they suffered in their previous 17.

"Today's match also tells us that the path we are taking is the right one. Our idea is to attack the opponent, to not let them control the game and create situations to hurt," Conte told DAZN.

"There is room for improvement from this point of view. We get there, but the last step is missing.

"We are working on it. I am not disappointed with the performance, the boys gave everything, playing a good match against an excellent team."

Lazio are now just one point behind Napoli, sitting in fifth, in what is turning out to be an excitingly close title race, and after their two wins over his side, Conte is not surprised with their position in the standings.

"Lazio are not a meteorite, they are doing very well," Conte added.

"I'm not disappointed or unhappy, during this journey there are some stumbles, there will probably be others. This is the team I want to see, but we need to have more quality in the final metres."

Lazio manager Baroni knows what it takes to win a Scudetto. He scored the only goal for Napoli, against Lazio, on the final day of the season in 1990 to guarantee them the league title, but he is not getting carried away with his side's success.

"It's hard to make the climb, and it takes a moment to drop back down again," Baroni said.

"I know the league very well, the teams that are at the top, and we have to face them with this attitude. And then in the end we will see."

Napoli have taken 29 points from their opening 13 league games, a point more than Atalanta, Inter, Fiorentina and Lazio in a tightly-packed battle at the top of the standings.

Conte's side have impressed this season, particularly in defence, keeping eight clean sheets, with only Juventus (10) producing more in the top five European leagues. 

The 55-year-old has won four Scudetto titles during his managerial career but was not getting carried away when asked about adding another to his collection. 

"We have to be realistic and know that we're only on day 13 and there are six teams within a few points," Conte told reporters on Friday.

"It's a balanced league so far, and, in my opinion, I don't think it will stay that way until the end. 

"At the end of the first half of the season, it [the list of contenders] will start to get a little longer. But we're pleased, it shows the work we're doing is good, and I'm happy.

"Day after day we're laying important foundations and I see a continuous growth as a team but also as individuals."

Up next for Napoli is a trip to the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino to face 11th-placed Torino, who are without a win in their last four Serie A matches. 

But Paolo Vanoli's side will have confidence of ending that winless streak after their showings against Napoli last season. 

They went unbeaten in their two matches against Napoli last term (W1 D1), after a run of five defeats in a row, and could go at least three consecutive matches unbeaten against the Partenopei for the first time since between December 2007 and November 2012 in Serie A (run of five – W3 D2).

"It [Torino] is a solid group, it has good quality, it's in mid-table in a quiet way and without a win for a long time, so there are values," Conte said.

"I live in Turin, almost every Sunday I have the pleasure of going to see the game, and it's an environment that I know, nice and warm, strong, attached to history.

"We'll have to be very careful. It's a game to be approached in the right way, with respect for the quality of the opponent and the environment that we'll find and their history."

A second-half penalty from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia earned them a 1-0 win, but they could easily have been trailing at the break due to a sluggish start.

They were outplayed in the first half by Empoli, who had 10 shots, four of which were on target, and accumulated 0.66 expected goals (xG), compared to the visitors, who only managed three efforts without testing Devis Vasquez.

Napoli finished the match with just one shot on target, the goal, and Conte recalled their dismal title defence last season along with their 3-0 opening-day defeat to Verona to highlight how their approach has changed when they struggle to break down stubborn opponents.

"In the first half we were spectators, I didn't see what we had prepared, and I saw a lot of nervousness," Conte told reporters.

"Certainly, what satisfies me is to have seen a reaction in the second half. The first was very negative.

"This is a difficult place to come. I don't know if it was due to the fact of defending the top spot, but it makes me smile if I think about last year or how we started this season."

The penalty is the first goal that Empoli have conceded at home this season, as the hosts suffered their second consecutive defeat.

Conte sent on Giovanni Simeone for Romelu Lukaku and replaced Leonardo Spinazzola with Mathias Olivera just before the hour mark to try and inject something different into the game.

Seconds later, they were awarded the decisive penalty, and Conte was pleased that the changes paid off.

"When you work during the week you prepare the game in all phases, we had prepared it defensively with 4-5-1," Conte added.

"I changed something from a tactical point of view, from a possession point of view. I think it bore fruit because we saw another game."

Napoli got back to winning ways last weekend with a 1-0 home win over Roma and maintained that momentum thanks to Scott McTominay's strike after suffering a 3-0 loss to Atalanta followed by a 1-1 draw at Inter earlier in November.

The Partenopei have now beaten Torino 52 times in Serie A, and only against Lazio (54), have they won more games in the Italian top-flight (52, also against Fiorentina).

Despite that slight dip, Napoli remain top of the standings, four points clear of the teams below them.

"I have a group of guys who really understand when I ask them to improve. This is the aspect I like the most, beyond the result and the standings," Conte told a press conference.

"We are growing as individuals and as a team... Torino are a great team. I was really afraid of this game. I lived in Turin for more than thirty years. I warned the guys, [and got] a mature response."

Torino keeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, brilliant throughout the day, dived to keep out a low back-heel shot by Romelu Lukaku, who made his 350th start in the top five European leagues, that could have opened the scoring for Napoli in the 23rd minute.

The Serbia goalkeeper showed off his reflexes again when he stretched to deny Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's header one minute later and continued to thwart Napoli's attack after the restart.

"Sometimes you take refuge in the result. Today we created, but there was a great goalkeeper who prevented us from being more relaxed at the end," Conte added.

McTominay eventually found a way past the Torino keeper in the 31st minute when he struck a shot powerfully inside the near post.

"He is a boy who was not a protagonist at [Manchester] United. I knew him well because I frequented the Premier League, he has quality," Conte said.

"We were lucky because he agreed to come in a situation in which we were not playing in Europe, having finished in 10th place. He could have seen Napoli as a demotion, instead, he came to be a protagonist."

Despite his satisfaction with the result and his side's growing form, the Italian coach pointed out that Napoli will need reinforcements if they keep up their good form and return to Europe next season.

"Looking at the other teams, how they've equipped themselves also in view of the commitments in Europe, and if we were to be good at getting into Europe, you will have to strengthen this squad... The president must know that," he said.

"Today we have 21 outfield players, and we have done what a team that only plays in the league and the Italian Cup does."

Scott McTominay's early opener was cancelled out by Gabriel Strefezza, only for star man Romelu Lukaku and substitute David Neres to seal the win after the break. 

Conte is now the sixth manager to have won each of his first four home games as Napoli head coach in Serie A, after Paolo Iodice, Luis Vinicio, Alberto Bigon, Carlo Ancelotti and Luciano Spalletti.

The Italian, however, started his Napoli reign with a shock 3-0 defeat to Hellas Verona on the opening day, but his team have since gone seven games unbeaten, scoring 19 goals during that run. 

Conte acknowledged that his side may not deserve to be at the top of the table, but felt quietly optimistic about his players' progression during the early stages of his tenure.

"I don't know if this is currently a Napoli that deserves to be in first place in the standings, but we are first and that is a fact," Conte said to DAZN.

"If someone had told me this three months ago, it would have been difficult to believe.

"We're growing in terms of temperament, and in our ability to adapt—playing good football, but also willing to get our hands dirty when we need to.

"That's a great sign, and we have to embrace it fully."

But the encounter against Como was far from comfortable for Conte's side, with the visitors registering 11 shots compared to Napoli's nine, while Cesc Fabregas' men also ended the contest with 59.3% possession. 

Napoli, though, created the better chances, ending the encounter with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.02 from their six efforts on target, with Lukaku continuing to flourish under Conte's stewardship. 

McTominay's opening goal after 26 seconds was the third-quickest for Napoli in the three-points-per-game era, while the former Manchester United midfielder also became the first Scottish player to score for Gli Azzurri in Serie A. 

"We started well in the first half, scoring a great goal, the result of our hard work," Conte said.

"Then we changed things tactically in the second half, and they were no longer in the game.

"We lost too many duels, but that's part of the process of rebuilding confidence and self-esteem."

Conte also showered praise on the home supporters inside the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. 

"Playing in Naples, at the Maradona, with a full stadium means that the players can really feel the crowd's emotions," he said. 

If you make mistakes, you can feel the disappointment, and that can chip away at your confidence.

"Napoli has a deep passion for football. We try to feed that passion by giving our all, like we did today. In the second half, we improved from every point of view."

Conte has led the Partenopei to the top of Serie A for the first time since they won the Scudetto in 2022-23, with a return of 13 points from six games putting them one clear of Juventus.

They have taken seven points from their last three, as have newly promoted Como, who travel to Naples sitting just inside the top half.

Conte worked with Como boss Fabregas at Chelsea, the Spaniard playing a key role in his midfield as the Blues won the Premier League in 2017 and the FA Cup in 2018.

"His journey is developing quickly; it's been great to see so far. He's proving that he's very prepared in every aspect," Conte said of Fabregas at a press conference on Wednesday.

"I always thought he could become a coach. He played in the middle of the pitch and always asked why certain things were done. I'm happy for him."

Another former Chelsea player, Romelu Lukaku, joined Conte in Naples in August and has scored two league goals and provided two assists for his new club. 

Conte said the striker is still working to hit peak physical condition, adding: "He's working hard and starting to handle the same workload as his team-mates. 

"However, he needs specific training because his body functions differently from many others. But now he's beginning to get into good shape.

"He's perfectly integrated into the team, and on the field, he's always someone who, no matter what, makes a difference."

Conte emphasised that Napoli were still growing as a team, despite many tipping them for a Scudetto push following their strong start.

"Like everyone, we're working to keep improving in all areas, tactically, in our decision-making, and in our overall game management," he said.

"It's only been three months, so there's room for improvement in every aspect, but I can see growth not just tactically, but also in terms of character, determination and hunger." 

Napoli maintained their advantage at the summit of the standings with a 1-0 win over Torino on Sunday, with Scott McTominay on target for Gli Azzurri. 

Conte's side are not participating in Europe this season after finishing 10th in Serie A last term, providing a slight advantage in terms of their Scudetto ambitions this year.

However, having fewer games has limited some of Napoli's squad to minor minutes from the bench, but Conte has used the competition so far to rest his key players. 

Napoli have already featured in two rounds of the cup so far, brushing aside Serie B sides Modena and Palermo. 

"This year in some respects it is penalising for many players because we only have the league, and we have the Coppa Italia," Conte told reporters. 

"We played two games, the season opener with Modena, then with Palermo there was the possibility to give space to the players who had less time until then, and tomorrow we'll have another clear opportunity to test everyone's growth a bit."

Lazio have also started well in Serie A this term, sitting in fifth after 14 games of their season and only four points behind Conte's side in the division. 

They are also unbeaten in their last three games against Napoli (W2 D1), and Conte was well aware of the task awaiting his players if they are to reach the quarter-finals.

"We always look at game-by-game, so the most important is Thursday's," he added.

"Having said that, I'll make choices because there are many players in the squad. We had a good start but it must not only be thanks to the 12-13 who took part.

"The credit must be shared with the entire squad, those who took over and those who played little or nothing but kept the intensity and competition high in training."

Conte also took the time to respond to Inter president, Giuseppe Marotta, who said that Napoli are favourites to win Serie A this season. 

"The director can say what he wants," Conte said.

"But I think that at the end of the year if Inter were not to win the Scudetto he would not be very happy and would not consider the season a good season.

"They are focusing a lot on us and perhaps do not see who can really be the one who bothers them."

Hakan Calhanoglu failed to convert the spot kick in question late in the game, with the Turkish international having equalised for the hosts after Scott McTominay's opener.

Despite the decision not affecting the result in the end, Conte criticised VAR for not overruling the referee's decision to penalise Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa for a foul on Denzel Dumfries. 

"Can they [VAR] only intervene when it suits them? A decision from the referee like this can transform a match and VAR cannot do anything about it," Conte told DAZN.

"Either VAR is there to correct errors or it is not. If there is an error, it has to intervene. It really angers me, but it does to all coaches. It has to intervene if there is a mistake.

"If there is VAR, it must be used to correct errors or show the referee situations that he did not see. If it's a clear error, and it was, then why should [referee Maurizio] Mariani be allowed to just do that."

Despite his frustration with refereeing decisions, Conte was satisfied with his team's performance, as they held strong against a spirited second-half display from the Italian champions.

"I said that we would not come here to just be sparring partners against the strongest squad in Serie A, so it was important for us to face them with strength, character, accepting duels all over the field," he said.

"On that score, I am very satisfied. It was not easy to play here. We all know that we are making improvements and working hard, otherwise, you don't come to San Siro twice and also against Juventus without defeat.

"The lads are proving themselves, though, of course, we could've done much, much more in terms of quality today. There were too many errors, a lot of technical errors, but I am sure there will be further improvements."

Napoli's point ensured they stayed top of Serie A heading into the international break, moving them to 26 points in what is shaping up to be a tight title race. Conte's side sit one point clear of Atalanta, Fiorentina, Inter and Lazio.

Lukaku was reunited with his former Inter boss Conte, under whom he scored 24 goals as the Nerazzurri won the Scudetto in 2020-21, ahead of Napoli loaning wantaway striker Victor Osimhen to Galatasaray this month.

He has made a flying start to life in Naples, netting in a 2-1 win over Parma ahead of the international break, then getting on the scoresheet again as Cagliari were swatted aside on matchday four.

He also laid on assists for Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, just the third time he has scored and provided multiple assists in a single game in Europe's top five leagues. Two of those instances have come under Conte.

Speaking to Sky Sports Italia after Sunday's game, Conte outlined why he was so keen to bring Lukaku in.

"I have always said that I wanted Romelu at Inter, had also requested him at Chelsea before he went to Manchester United, because he is an atypical striker," Conte said.

"He is extremely tall and physically strong, but also very good at sprinting forward. His condition is still nowhere near optimal, but he becomes fundamental for us."

The victory took Napoli top of the table ahead of Inter's trip to Monza later on Sunday, with the Partenopei registering three straight wins after starting with a humiliating 3-0 loss at Verona.

Conte, however, has dismissed suggestions his team are ready to compete for the Scudetto, saying they have plenty more work to do.

"I do feel that at the moment all teams are settling down still, as the transfer window closed late and we are all trying to find our shape," Conte said.

"We need to keep improving on duels all over the field, keeping focused and concentrated, because that is what you require in Serie A.

"We’ve worked hard over the last two and a half months, we’ve got to put on the blinkers and keep pushing forward without looking at anyone else."

Napoli came from behind to defeat Udinese and remain within two points of the Serie A summit on Saturday, earning praise from Antonio Conte.

Ranieri was tempted back into management by a return to where he began as a player. His third spell at Roma comes after the club sacked two coaches already this season and with the team 12th in the standings.

A trip to leaders Napoli is Ranieri's first task, and Conte is looking forward to meeting up with the 73-year-old.

"I am pleased to see Claudio, I have great esteem for him and there is also friendship," Conte told reporters ahead of Sunday's game.

"I am happy with the chance he has been given. It will be a tough game, for us and for them. Last year, Roma finished ahead of Napoli, they are in the Europa League and had a good transfer window.

"They are not performing according to expectations and I hope for Claudio that everything starts to work after Sunday's game."

The arrival of Ranieri in place of Ivan Juric brings with it not just the danger of the 'new manager bounce' but also upsets Conte's plans for the game.

"When a team changes coach there is an important input on a nervous level," Conte said.

"They are at the third change on the bench. It's inevitable that, if Juric had remained, we knew what kind of team we were going to face.

"Now it's an enigma, we don't have much information nor do we know how they will deal with us. So let's think about ourselves, there is a desire and enthusiasm to continue this path."

After a streak of 21 consecutive home wins in Serie A, Conte lost his last home league match (0-3 against Atalanta). Only once in his career has he recorded two consecutive home defeats in the competition: in November 2009, when he was in charge of Atalanta (against Juventus and Roma).

Napoli are top of the table, but Conte knows it is still early, and with just two points separating the top six clubs, which includes the likes of Atalanta, Fiorentina and Lazio, for now, it is a different title race than usual.

"Only 12 games have passed and there are many teams within very few points," he said.

"We are doing well, but so are the others. There isn't one team which has distanced the others. Perhaps there is a little amazement in seeing some teams in those positions in the standings."

The 55-year-old suggested that the tournament gave him the opportunity to avoid injuries to players and make assessments on others as he rested everyone who started last weekend's 1-0 win at Torino.

The result of Conte's selection was a 3-1 defeat at the Stadio Olimpico, with Tijjani Noslin scoring a hat-trick to knock the visitors out of the competition.

"We made a very well-considered choice, we have a long season ahead of us. We can't make the sign of the cross and hope that no one gets injured," Conte told reporters.

"These are matches where we wanted to make assessments. After this match you will make your assessments, I will make mine, and the club will make its assessments. Evaluations are subjective and mine are the most important."

Serie A leaders Napoli face Lazio again on Sunday, this time at home, and are four points ahead of their fifth-placed visitors.

"It will definitely be a different game, we'll be playing at home and in a different competition," said Conte.

"Lazio is definitely a very good team and also equipped to play in the Europa League. They have a valuable squad as demonstrated again today. We will try to play our game."