Napoli keep Serie A lead with win at Empoli

Napoli will stay top of Serie A for at least another week after winning 1-0 at bogey team Empoli on Sunday and moving three points clear of Juventus.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia struck the only goal of the game, and his fourth of the season, from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute to give Napoli their fourth straight win in all competitions.

Sunday’s hard-fought victory means that Napoli cannot be overtaken this weekend, although Inter Milan can move back to within two points of Antonio Conte’s team with a win at troubled Roma in the day’s late game.

“We’re trying to create a solid base from which we can become a team with serious ambitions,” said Conte to DAZN.

“Every win should be celebrated because they’re hard won. We just need to keep doing what we’re doing.

“We’re trying to build something here, something that isn’t just a flash in the pan but lasts long-term.”

Empoli beat Napoli home and away last season and their victory in Naples last November cost Rudi Garcia his job as coach, as a disastrous league title defence ended with southern Italy’s biggest club in 10th.

And the hosts were the better team for large portions of the match, with Kvaratskhelia’s winning spot-kick Napoli’s only shot on target in front of thousands of enthusiastic travelling supporters.

“I don’t know if it’s our history here but I wasn’t happy with how we played in the first half. If they had scored we couldn’t have said anything,” said Conte.

Napoli don’t have European football as a result of their collapse following a first Scudetto since 1990 and the days of Diego Maradona.

– Kvaratskhelia doubts –

And under Conte Napoli have quickly re-established themselves as title challengers, with the advantage of not having the expanded Champions League jamming up their schedule.

Kvaratskhelia is key to Conte’s plans but the Georgia winger is yet to sign a contract extension, with his current deal expiring in 2027.

Italian media report that Kvaratskhelia is aiming for eight million euros ($8.7 million) a season, significantly more than Napoli are willing to offer the breakout star of their historic 2023 title triumph.

Fiorentina hammered 10-man Lecce 6-0 to move up to fifth and six points behind Napoli with their best performance since Raffaele Palladino took over in the summer.

Braces from both Danilo Cataldi and Andrea Colpani, the latter’s first goals since following Palladino from Monza, drove Fiorentina to a thumping away win which also featured strikes from Lucas Beltran and Fabiano Parisi.

Fiorentina were helped by Antonino Gallo being harshly sent off for fouling Dodo with the score 2-0, the offence considered the denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity despite the presence of other defenders.

Level on points with Fiorentina in sixth place are Atalanta who eased to a 2-0 win at bottom side Venezia thanks in large part to in-form striker Mateo Retegui.

Italy attacker Retegui helped Mario Pasalic open the scoring early on and then sealed the points two minutes after the break with a delightful chipped finish.

Retegui, who only signed for Atalanta after Gianluca Scamacca suffered a serious knee injury before the start of the season, leads the Serie A scoring charts with eight goals.

The 25-year-old has scored six times in four matches with club and country and will relish the opportunity to net again against Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday.

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