Napoli's Resurgence

Finally, the wait of 33 years is over!!!

Napoli has finally lifted the Scudetto after waiting for 33 years. It was in 1990 when Diego Maradona led them to the title. Since then, people of Naples have eagerly waited for their team to lift the title and their wait is over at last.

In these 33 years Napoli have seen lots of ups and downs. After winning the title in 1990 and then Supercoppa Italiana the following year, the club started to decline with star players departing one by one. In 1998 they were relegated to Serie B after recording two wins all season. They were promoted back to Serie A in 1999-2000 season but only to get relegated back to Serie B. In August 2004 Napoli were declared bankrupt and demoted to Serie C1. They just missed out on promotion after losing the play-offs. 

Even though Napoli were playing in such lower divisions, love of fans and people of Naples for the club never died and they continued to support the club. They were one of the clubs with largest fanbase in Italy, having higher average attendance than most of the clubs in top division. They also recorded the highest attendance in Serie C games. 

2007-08 was the first time when Napoli were again promoted back to Serie A under new ownership. In 2010 they qualified for UEFA Europa League for the first time and finished third in the league, their highest finish since 1990 and also qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the following season. In 2014 they lifted their first major trophy since 1990 by lifting the Coppa Italia. 

After gaining promotion back to Serie A in 2007 under new ownership, Napoli have not looked back and continued to perform at high levels since then. Napoli have registered themselves as one of the top clubs in Italy and continued to challenge for titles every season and even finished as runner-up on various occasions. In 2017-18 they achieved their highest points tally of 91 points finishing second when they were piped to title on the penultimate matchday.

Napoli's resurgence this season has been completely based on building up a squad full of talented players and tactical evolution. Many of the top stars of the team left the club before the season started after their contracts ended or were bought by bigger and richer clubs. To fill the void left by these players Napoli bought on lesser-known young talented players from different leagues which fit the bill and could help to better the team. Players like Victor Osimhen, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Stanislav Lobotka, Kim Min-jae, Giacomo Raspadori, Frank Anguissa, Mathias Olivera were bought last summer to replace aging stars and fit the tactical system of coach Luciano Spalletti. These youngsters completely blended in the tactical system evolved by the coach over the course of previous seasons. 

From the start of the season, it was clear that this season was going to be a special one for the club. Scoring 5 goals away from home in the first match against Verona. It was helter-skelter football played at 100 mph with Napoli scoring 70 goals while only conceding 25 goals with 3 games left in the season winning 26 drawing 5 and losing only 4 games till now in the season.  

Not only in the league but also in Europe Napoli steam rolled the oppositions. Liverpool found it themselves when they were hammered 4-1 at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Even Ajax were hammered 6-1 in their own backyard. Napoli continued to cruise through Europe and reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Napoli's resurgence was guided by the 63-year-old Italian tactician Luciano Sppaletti who guided the free-flowing attacking football of Napoli. He created a system which enabled all the attacking talent present in the team to prosper and score goals at will. 
This League title is special for the coach also as it is his first Italian League title in 28 years.

Napoli's victory is not just only for the club but also for the whole city. The people of Naples have waited for more than 33 years to see their club lift that trophy. Many generations passed to look for that special moment when once again title returns to the city and everyone can begin the celebrations.  

And finally, the moment has arrived for the people when once again they can celebrate being champions of Italy and bring title back to South Italy.

 This achievement of winning the Scudetto is even greater for the club and people of the city as it comes in year after the death of club and city legend Diego Maradona. 

Napoli's victory is not only victory of a club but victory of the whole city and people of Naples and South Italy.