Goals dry up, Milinkovic-Savic exposed: Mou thrives, Conte sinks | OneFootball

On the night that was supposed to consolidate Napoli’s European certainties, it was José Mourinho who asserted himself with authority. His Benfica overcame the Azzurri 2-0, overturning the pre-match narrative and reigniting their own campaign in the group.

The powder is wet, Milinkovic-Savic is not impenetrable: Mou takes advantage, Conte sinks

A clear victory, built on organization, intensity, and match management that highlighted the qualities of the Portuguese side and exposed the weaknesses of Antonio Conte’s team.

A MATCH THAT PROMISED SPARKS

Having sorted things out in the league, sharing the top spot with Milan, Antonio Conte now shifts the focus of his ambitions to the Champions League. The seven points Napoli have collected in the first five group stage matches do not yet provide a reassuring margin, and the trip to Lisbon represents a decisive crossroads. Benfica, so far the protagonist of a complicated European campaign, has collected only one win, and that was against Ajax, who sit at the bottom of the group, and have suffered four defeats. This context turns the clash into a real opportunity for the Azzurri, but also a last call for the Portuguese side.

Adding even more meaning to the encounter is the presence of José Mourinho on the Benfica bench, a coach who left a deep mark in Italy. The Lisbon match is the eighth chapter in the tactical duel between Conte and Mourinho, a rivalry built on high-tension encounters. Overall, Conte leads with four wins, while Mourinho has two victories. There has been only one draw. For the first time, however, the two meet on the Champions League stage, where every detail can make a difference in the race for the round of 16.

THE MATCH

Benfica took the lead after an initial balanced phase. Dahl crossed to the far post, McTominay missed the header, and Rios pounced on the ball, deflecting it just enough to beat Milinkovic. The first half ended with Napoli trailing and forced to shift gears to get back into the game.

The second half began with good intentions from the Azzurri, but Benfica’s second goal broke the momentum: Rios entered the area from the right, served Barreiro, who surprised Milinkovic-Savic with a backheel and made it 2-0. Napoli tried to react, but the psychological blow of the double strike weighed heavily. Conte’s team needed a major comeback to avoid defeat.

Neres tried from the edge of the box with a powerful left-footed shot that forced Trubin into a spectacular save. Shortly after, Pavlidis threatened with a sharp shot from outside, which the Napoli goalkeeper parried. The Greek nearly scored a third, rounding Milinkovic and attempting a lob that the Serbian goalkeeper managed to deflect at the last moment.

Nothing changed in the final minutes: Napoli left Lisbon with a heavy 2-0 defeat, complicating their qualification hopes and raising questions about Conte’s European journey. Matchday 6 of the Champions League makes things much more difficult for Napoli, who now seriously risk dropping out of the top twenty-four and the playoff zone, staying in by a hair’s breadth.

After four consecutive wins and advancing in the Coppa Italia, Napoli stumble again and waste a crucial chance to consolidate their position in the Champions League. Their points tally remains at 7, and qualification—whether direct to the round of 16 or through the playoffs—will be decided in the last 180 minutes, with increasingly narrow margins for error.

LINEUPS AND RATINGS

Benfica (4-2-3-1): Trubin 6; Dedic 6.5, Tomas Araujo 6.5, Otamendi 6.5, Dahl 6.5; Rios 7, Barrenechea 6; Aursnes 6 (94′ Aursnes n/a), Barreiro 7 (95′ José Neto n/a), Sudakov 6 (76′ Antonio Silva 6); Ivanovic 5.5 (76′ Pavlidis 5). Coach: Mourinho 7

Napoli (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic 5.5; Beukema 5.5 (46′ Politano 6), Rrahmani 6, Buongiorno 5.5 (59′ Juan Jesus 5.5); Di Lorenzo 5.5, Elmas 5 (81′ Vergara n/a), McTominay 5, Olivera 5.5 (46′ Spinazzola 6); Neres 6.5, Lang 5.5 (74′ Lucca 5); Hojlund 5. Coach: Conte 5.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.