Udinese-Napoli not over: Zaniolo slammed for Olivera insults | OneFootball

The defeat in Udine left a bitter taste in the mouths of Napoli fans due to the result, but in recent hours, what’s been dominating social networks is a specific episode that highlights the heated atmosphere at the “Bluenergy Stadium.” A video, which quickly went viral on major platforms, has shone a spotlight on a heated exchange between Nicolò Zaniolo and Mathias Olivera.

Zaniolo-Olivera, the video emerges: the former Roma player’s lip reading is clear: “You’re useless”

The footage, analyzed by Corriere dello Sport, is merciless and shows the Udinese forward, formerly of Roma, engaging in some decidedly aggressive trash talking. In the video, Zaniolo can clearly be seen repeatedly addressing the Uruguayan full-back. His words are unmistakable and leave no room for interpretation: the forward repeats the word “scarso” (“useless” or “not good enough”) several times, a blatant and repeated attempt to provoke and destabilize his opponent psychologically at a crucial moment in the match.

The incident sparked a flood of comments and controversy over the behavior of the player in black and white, accused of gratuitous provocation. However, the one who emerged as the “winner” of this rough duel—at least in terms of style and composure—was Mathias Olivera himself. As is clear from the video, the Napoli defender gave a true lesson in self-control. Despite Zaniolo’s persistence, Olivera did not react to the words, did not respond to the provocations, and did not fuel the tension. He simply continued to play with calm composure, avoiding any visual or verbal contact and keeping his focus solely on the match. A mature attitude that, if it didn’t save the result, at least avoided unnecessary cards or disciplinary sanctions.

Andrea Alati

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