Antonio Conte has Napoli back atop Serie A to end 2024 after miserable title defense last season
ROME — Napoli went through three different coaches during its Serie A title defense last season and ended the campaign in 10th place.
Antonio Conte was hired in July and now Napoli is ending 2024 level with Atalanta atop the Italian league again.
Substitute Giacomo Raspadori scored a late goal and Napoli beat relegation-threatened Venezia 1-0 on Sunday in its final match of the year.
Napoli trails Atalanta only on goal difference but both teams are one point ahead of defending champion Inter Milan, which has a game in hand.
Atalanta drew 1-1 at Lazio on Saturday and Inter won 3-0 at Cagliari.
Later, Juventus hosts Fiorentina and AC Milan plays Roma.
Napoli had struggled to get the ball past Venezia goalkeeper Filip Stankovic, the son of former Lazio and Inter standout Dejan Stankovic. But Raspadori broke the deadlock in the 79th when he used one touch to fire in a loose ball from the center of the area less than 10 minutes after he came on.
Napoli’s Giacomo Raspadori celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Venezia at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, Italy Sunday Dec. 29, 2024. Credit: AP/Alessandro Garofalo
In the first half, Stankovic saved a penalty kick from Romelu Lukaku, who also hit the post in the second half.
Napoli produced 25 shots to Venezia’s four.
Earlier, Torino came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Udinese.
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