Antonio Conte’s Napoli have adapted seamlessly to Kevin De Bruyne’s arrival and Romelu Lukaku’s injury, with Fabio Capello praising the Italian tactician and his AC Milan counterpart Max Allegri. Napoli reshaped their attacking approach around the Belgian star, while Conte’s flexibility contrasts with Allegri’s composed style with Sunday’s Milan clash promises a tactical showdown and Serie A spectacle.
Rasmus Hojlund has revealed he plans on staying at Napoli after joining the Serie A champions from Manchester United in an initial loan transfer. After ending an unsuccessful period at Old Trafford at the end of the summer transfer window, the Danish striker is off to a strong start on his return to Italy and is feeling comfortable in Antonio Conte's side.
Rasmus Hojlund has opened up on his admiration for Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and the hard work that has driven his career. The Napoli striker, back in Serie A after two seasons at Manchester United, highlighted Erling Haaland and Viktor Gyokeres as the world’s best behind CR7. Hojlund also reflected on his early sporting life, and ambitions at Napoli.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has issued one of his starkest warnings to European football. Calling today’s game “too slow, outdated, and destined to die,” he argues young audiences are tuning out of a sport stuck in the past. From pushing a 16-team Serie A to free-to-air broadcasts, he insists football must reinvent itself with bold reforms before collapsing under its own weight.
Former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli praised AC Milan’s Luka Modric and Napoli’s Kevin De Bruyne, insisting that class has no age amid the veteran midfielders' bright starts in Serie A. The duo moved to the Italian top-flight from Real Madrid and Manchester City respectively after their contracts expired and Prandelli says they bring an excitement to the league.
Napoli head coach Antonio Conte has claimed that his side are not a well-oiled machine after they registered a slender 3-2 win over Pisa in Serie A last night. Although Gli Azzuri sit comfortably at the top of the league table having won all four of their games, such a statement from the Serie A winner comes as a shock after their latest win.
The Ballon d'Or. Love it or loathe it, it's the award every footballer in the world dreams of one day winning. And now, after a memorable 2024-25 campaign, the winner of the 2025 Golden Ball has been announced: Ousmane Dembele.
Former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has finished ahead of big names such as Arsenal's Declan Rice, Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham in the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings. The Scotland international is ranked in 18th place after a stellar season that saw him score 12 Serie A goals and help deliver the Scudetto for Napoli.
Kevin De Bruyne’s emotional Etihad return lasted just 25 minutes as Napoli boss Antonio Conte sacrificed him following Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s red card in a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Manchester City. Conte admitted both he and De Bruyne were left “disappointed” after cutting short his appearance on a night City striker Erling Haaland made more history.
Erling Haaland has become the quickest player to reach 50 Champions League goals, after he scored the opener in Manchester City's 2-0 win over Napoli. The Norwegian reached the tally in just 49 games, easily surpassing Ruud van Nistelrooy's previous record. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid marksman reached his half-century in his first 62 appearances in the competition.
Manchester City opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 win over 10-man Napoli on Thursday. Despite dominating the ball in the early stages, the visitors quickly became content to sit in a low block, soaking up City pressure before looking to hit on the counter. After a long range effort from Tijani Reijnders stung the gloves of Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, Gianluigi Donnarumma was called into action to stop a Sam Beukema header from a Napoli corner.
Peter Schmeichel admits that Antony was “never good enough for Manchester United” but the Red Devils legend has questioned why Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund were allowed to leave Old Trafford. The Scotland international midfielder and Danish striker are now team-mates again in Italy at Napoli after surprisingly being deemed surplus to requirements.
Gianluigi Donnarumma joked about not taking his mother to the Etihad Stadium for the Champions League opener against Napoli on Thursday. The Manchester City goalkeeper, who arrived at the end of the summer transfer window, revealed that his family members are big supporters of the current Serie A champions. However, he remains determined on helping his new team kick-off their continental campaign with a win.
"Naples has always been marginalised by the rest of Italy. It is a city that suffers the most unfair racism," said Diego Maradona. When he played for Napoli in the more prosperous northern cities like Milan and Turin, he and his team-mates would be subjected to banners reading 'Welcome to Italy'; 'Napoli, cholera sufferers' or 'Vesuvius, wash them with fire'.
GOAL looks ahead to the sensational Champions League clash between Manchester City and Italian champions Napoli as Kevin De Bruyne returns to the Etihad.
Manchester United players have made their feelings known on Rasmus Hojlund in response to the striker's fast start at Napoli following his loan move. It took him just 14 minutes in a Napoli shirt to do what he so often struggled to do at Old Trafford: score when it mattered.
Manchester City have shockingly been branded an “amateur team” by Premier League cult hero Paolo di Canio. The ex-West Ham star believes that another of his former clubs, Serie A title holders Napoli, are capable of claiming a notable scalp when heading to the Etihad Stadium for an intriguing opening clash in their 2025-26 Champions League campaign.
Juventus head coach Igor Tudor has claimed Inter are the strongest Serie A side, and perhaps they are better than last season’s champions Napoli. This comment comes after the Bianconeri defeated their archrivals on Saturday, as the Derby d'Italia ended in a seven-goal thriller at the Allianz Stadium, giving them a perfect send-off for their Champions League opener.
Rasmus Hojlund marked his Napoli debut in style as the Manchester United flop scored in a 3-1 Serie A victory over Fiorentina, before expressing his delight at joining what he described as an “incredible” team. The Denmark striker joined on loan with a £38 million obligation to buy and wasted no time in making an impact for Antonio Conte’s side.
Napoli head coach Antonio Conte was effusive in his praise for Rasmus Hojlund after the Danish forward, signed on a season-long loan from Manchester United, contributed to the team's 3-1 win at Fiorentina by scoring on debut. Conte, who managed Chelsea and Tottenham in the Premier League, joked about his former rivals, the Red Devils, and thanked them for letting Napoli sign Hojlund.
Manchester United fans couldn't believe that Rasmus Hojlund scored on his Napoli debut against Fiorentina after his Old Trafford exit. Antonio Conte pushed hard to bring Hojlund back to Serie A, securing a deal that could become permanent for £38 million ($51m) if the Italian champions secure Champions League football next season. Early signs suggest that wager could prove to be a masterstroke.
Kobbie Mainoo has reportedly had concerns over his Manchester United future for months as the midfielder eyes a January exit. Mainoo was once hailed as the heartbeat of United’s next generation, but fast-forward to September 2025, and the 20-year-old is facing the harshest dilemma of his young career: fight for scraps at Old Trafford or walk away temporarily to save his England dreams.
SSC Napoli
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