Six matches that have defined Napoli's title-winning season - From San Siro triumph to Juventus thrashing

This season has been a spectacular one for Napoli.

After a painful collapse last campaign that saw their Serie A title bid go up in smoke, a hectic transfer window saw club legends Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne and Kalidou Koulibaly all depart, while fellow David Ospina and Fabian Ruiz also moved in. 

In came the likes of Kim Min-jae, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and central midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, with the latter arriving permanently after a series of impressive displays on loan from Fulham in 2021/22.

Those acquisitions, along with the signings of left-back Mathias Olivera and forward Giovanni Simeone, have rejuvenated the squad and allowed the Partenopei to streak away from the rest of Italy's top flight, scoring goals galore and winning fans across Europe along the way. 

Here, we look back on five matches that marked key points on the road to the title - their first Scudetto in 33 years since the days of Diego Maradona. 

Lazio 1-2 Napoli, 3 September

After a total of nine goals in their first two games this season against Hellas Verona and Monza had people sitting up and taking notice, Napoli's progress slowed slightly with draws against Fiorentina and Lecce. 

Their unbeaten start to the campaign then looked seriously under threat at the Stadio Olimpico as Lazio took a third-minute lead thanks to Mattia Zaccagni's unerringly accurate fourth-minute strike. 

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's wonderful Maradona turn and fierce drive off Ivan Provedel's right-hand post did serve as a warning of Napoli's threat however, and they drew level through the commanding Kim Min-jae, the authoritative centre-back rising highest to head home Piotr Zielinski's corner. 

It was Victor Osimhen's turn to hit the woodwork after the break before Kvaratskhelia blazed over, but the visiting pressure eventually told when Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa's cutback was swept home majestically by the Georgian wing wizard. There was certainly more to come from him in the coming months. 

Milan 1-2 Napoli, 18 September

Napoli's Champions League maulings of Liverpool and Rangers had alerted an entire British audience to their quality, but travelling to San Siro to face Milan was probably the toughest match of their season so far, especially without Victor Osimhen, who was missing with a thigh problem. 

Not only were the Rossoneri the reigning champions, but they were also on a 22-game unbeaten league run, with their last defeat coming in January 2022.

Hearts must have been in Neapolitan mouths when Olivier Giroud struck the bar on 13 minutes, but Luciano Spalletti's men got their noses in front when Matteo Politano squeezed his penalty under Mike Maignan after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was adjudged to have been fouled by Sergino Dest. 

Alex Meret had to get down sharply to keep out Junior Messias' effort as Milan roared back, with Giroud tucking in Theo Hernandez's inviting ball to level the scores. 

But Napoli had the last laugh as Giovanni Simeone, signed after a prolific spell with Hellas Verona, expertly flicked in Mario Rui's teasing cross. 

Pierre Kalulu's shot then rattled the bar as the hosts poured forward in search of another equaliser, but Napoli held on for the three points that kept them top of the table. 

Roma 0-1 Napoli, 23 October

By now, everyone knew how good Napoli were. They came into this game against Roma off the back of six straight Serie A wins, although their haul of 26 points from their first 10 games was only enough to put them two ahead of an exciting Atalanta outfit. 

However, their upcoming opponents were on a neat little run of three league victories themselves - and any side managed by Jose Mourinho cannot be counted in a high-profile fixture. 

The big moment of the first half concerned Tanguy Ndombele, who went down under the challenge of Rui Patricio to win a penalty before the decision was overturned as the former Wolves goalkeeper got his right glove to the ball.

A couple of Hirving Lozano strikes were repelled by Patricio, while Victor Osimhen fired wide after being fed by the Mexican.

The Nigerian had come into this clash high on confidence though following goals against Ajax and Bologna on his return from injury, and he wasn't to be denied here. 

Matteo Politano's lovely pass into the right-hand channel was begging Osimhen to get into a tussle with Chris Smalling and the striker duly obliged, muscling his way past the former Manchester United centre-back before slamming home sensationally from an extremely tight angle to send the visiting bench wild.  

Napoli 5-1 Juventus, 13 January

After an 11-match league winning streak, Napoli's aura of invincibility disappeared with a 1-0 defeat at Inter in their first game of 2023. 

The Partenopei showed their character by bouncing back to beat struggling Sampdoria 2-0, but their next assignment, against Juventus, was meant to be a serious test of their title credentials. 

The Old Lady had won their last eight Serie A matches without conceding a single goal, but they were put firmly in their place at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. 

This was a game which exhibited the best of both Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen. 

Kvaratskhelia's acrobatic volley was palmed out by Wojciech Szczesny but only into the path of Victor Osimhen, who headed home and then returned the favour on 39 minutes for the Georgian to slide in.

Angel Di Maria's measured finish put the cat among the pigeons, but the two-goal margin was restored when Kvaratskhelia's bouncing corner was rifled in on the half-volley by centre-back Amir Rrahmani, before Kvaratskhelia clipped a glorious clipped onto Osimhen's forework, with the outcome inevitable. 

Juventus were at sixes and sevens at the back as Alex Sandro deflected Eljif Elmas past Szczesny to complete the rout. 

The win was the second in an eight-match winning run which saw them extend their lead at the top from five points to 18, effectively changing the focus from whether Napoli would win the title to when they would finally get their hands on the Scudetto. 

Napoli 2-1 Roma, 29 January

If you thought Victor Osimhen's strike in the first Derby del Sole of the season, his effort in the reverse fixture topped it. 

After Kim Min-jae nodded heart-stoppingly past his own goalkeeper Alex Meret and just wide, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia lofted in a cross for Osimhen to chest the ball away from the disorientated Gianluca Mancini, controlling it on his right knee and thundering a volley into the roof of Rui Patricio's net to a cacophony of noise. 

Jose Mourinho said prior to the match that Napoli had already won the league in an attempt to unsettle Luciano Spalletti's side, and both Leonardo Spinazzola and Bryan Cristante drew good saves from Alex Meret as Roma piled on the pressure. 

Their efforts were rewarded when Nicola Zalewski's cross to the back post was turned in by Stephan El Shaarawy on 75 minutes to set up a fascinating conclusion.

But it was Giovanni Simeone, largely a bit-part player this season, who popped up with another huge winner, receiving a pass from Piotr Zielinski and swivelling to pick out Patricio's top left-hand corner under pressure from Chris Smalling. 

Another significant win on Napoli's inexorable march to glory. 

Udinese 1-1 Napoli, 4 May

It may not have been the most spectacular results - and came after Napoli had squandered their first title-winning opportunity by drawing to Salernitana four days earlier - but the point at Udinese was enough to finally seal the Scudetto. 

There was another spanner in the works early on at Stadio Friuli, Sandi Lovric finding Alex Meret's top left-hand corner with a brilliant strike. 

Victor Osimhen then twice threatened with headers in the remainder of the first half, but less than seven minutes after the break, the division's top scorer this season was not to be denied as he sidefooted into the roof of the net to spark bedlam when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's shot was palmed out to the Nigerian in a crowded box. 

The comeback could have been completed as Piotr Zielinski's thumping volley was well saved by Marco Silvestri, but that ceased to matter in emotional scenes at the final whistle as Napoli ended their agonising wait for Serie A glory and Luciano Spalletti finally shook off the tag of also-ran in Italy's top flight.