Napoli's Serie A title defence boosted by beating AC Milan
Napoli's Matteo Politano celebrates scoring the winner against AC Milan (CARLO HERMANN) Napoli are still in the hunt to retain their Serie A title after the champions beat Scudetto rivals AC Milan 1-0 on Monday. Matteo Politano came off the bench and lashed home the only goal of the game with 11 minutes remaining in front of delighted fans in Naples as the hosts racked up a fifth straight win. Napoli leapfrogged Milan into second place but still have a battle on their hands to deny Inter a 21st league crown as they sit seven points off the pace with seven matches remaining.
Antonio Conte's team were superior at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, where Politano's second goal of the season decided a largely stodgy contest not helped by Milan only being able to select star attackers Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic. "It's a happy moment for us because we're back in second place, I thanked the boys for what they've done this season as it could have finished badly," said Conte of an injury-ravaged season. "We've got back to what we're were like last season, we've got to keep going without getting ahead of ourselves.
" Milan now trail their local rivals Inter by nine points and will in all likelihood have to content themselves with a return to the Champions League. "I think we're done with the Scudetto race. We're nine behind Inter and Napoli are ahead of us now," said Allegri.
"We've got an advantage of a few points for the Champions League, let's try to keep it that way by winning some matches. " Napoli's win came without Romelu Lukaku who has incurred the wrath of the club hierarchy after staying in Belgium for treatment for a hip injury, while Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund ruled out with a stomach bug. Winter signing Giovane forced Maignan into the best save of the match in the 50th minute with a stinging drive from distance and there was little more goalmouth action until Politano pounced on Koni De Winter's weak headed clearance with a powerful, and decisive, first-time finish.
- Juve eye Champions League - Juventus moved to within a point of Serie A's Champions League places with a 2-0 win over Genoa, as the top four battle heats up. Taking advantage of fourth-placed Como's goalless draw at Udinese earlier in the day, Juve notched the three points in Turin thanks to Gleison Bremer's fourth-minute header and a 17th-minute strike from the ever-reliable Weston McKennie. American McKennie's fine finish took his Serie A tally to five, equalling his best-ever haul in a single league season back in his first campaign with Juve in 2020/21.