SSC Napoli football club bowed to a more superior side as they suffered a 3-nil defeat on Sunday afternoon to a more super-away team in the 2024/2025 Serie A title race game.
The brace from 14th place 68th Ballon d'Or awards Ademola Lookman was the powerful inspiration behind Atalanta's away win. This world-class performance from the Nigerian international engineered Atalanta’s victory and handed him the Man-of-the-Match Award (MOM-Award).
Lookman is now 3rd on the list of players with the most goals so far behind Mateo Retegui and Marcus Thuram. He has 6 assists, Thuram has 7, and Retegui has 11. Nuno Tavares of Lazio tops the number of the most assists rendered so far with eight, De Ketelaere, Lookman's teammate is second with 5 assists, while Lookman himself is 3rd on the list with 4 assists.
Mateo Retegui made it 3 for Atalanta with a sharp finish in the ninety-second minute of injury time after getting an assist from Charles De Ketelaere. His performance was top-notch and electrifying from the moment he came on the pitch. This solidifies that the Belgian international is now the highest goal scorer as it stands with eleven goals in eleven games in the competitive Italian Serie A this season.
Yesterday’s outstanding performance from the La Dea now placed them 3rd place
In the Italian Serie A-League table with 22 points, behind Inter Milan who are with 24 points, and Napoli who are with 25 points.
On the other hand, Napoli’s defeat to Atalanta blotted out an existing record of a 9-match unbeaten run losing only two games this season- their first home defeat of the season on a 3-goal margin.
Several attempts from Napoli to fight back and get into the game proved abortive. Shots struck the woodwork, and 3 goals were saved by Marco Carnesecchi, Atalanta’s goalie, but Antonio Cante’s side still fell to defeat to a better team.
Admitting to defeat and superiority, Napoli's head coach Antonio Conte said:
"I think the team performed in the right way"
"There were episodes on goals that made the difference, in which we can do better, but in terms of attitude there's little to reproach the lads for."
"We met a team that is currently stronger than us, not to be too cautious but only because I analyze and evaluate situations.
"Atalanta won the last Europa League and today they have a team structured for the Champions League that should scare everyone with an excellent coach...
We shouldn't be ashamed if at this moment they can be a point of reference for us."
Atalanta, unbeaten in their last eight games across all competitions, is Serie A's top-scoring side with 29 goals in 11 games.
They won their last five league matches by an aggregate 18-2 scoreline and remain unbeaten in the Champions League after three games.
"We knew that Atalanta are very strong," Conte added. "We developed the situations but we lacked the final pass, the precise shot that Atalanta had instead.
"They were much better in some situations, in keeping the ball more and developing offensive actions, but the game was very balanced."