Napoli: from last Braga win to Sporting triumph | OneFootball

From Braga to Sporting, Napoli returns to winning in the Champions League after a year of absence. With Antonio Conte at the helm, the Azzurri have regained ambition and dream of becoming protagonists in Europe as well.

Napoli, back to the future: from the last victory against Braga to the triumph over Sporting

After almost two years, Napoli once again tastes the sweet flavor of victory in the Champions League. The last one dated back to September 20, 2023, when the Azzurri beat Braga 2-1 at the “Maradona”, securing their place in the round of 16. It was a different era, with Rudi Garcia on the bench, the French coach now leading Belgium, fresh from a symbolic and courageous decision: taking the captain’s armband from Kevin De Bruyne to give it to Youri Tielemans, marking a generational overhaul.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then. After a year away from European competitions, Napoli returned yesterday to win against another Portuguese side, but this time of a different caliber: the reigning champions Sporting Lisbon, defeated at the “Maradona” with a convincing 2-1. A coincidence with an almost symbolic flavor, as if fate wanted to close one circle and immediately open another.

The change isn’t just on the bench. Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli has profoundly transformed its structure: from the arrival of Antonio Conte as a true general manager, to the building of a squad designed to be competitive right away, with targeted and ready-to-use investments. No longer a club living off capital gains and short cycles, but a reality that wants to establish itself as a protagonist in Italy and Europe.

“Napoli participates in competitions as an absolute protagonist,” Conte declared after the match, reiterating that the victory over Sporting is not a point of arrival, but the first building block of a European journey to be undertaken with courage and awareness.

Once again, destiny passes through Portugal. And who knows, maybe this time, together, Napoli and Antonio Conte can truly become great TOGETHER in Europe.

curated by Davide Maria Pellegrino.

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