Napoli bounced back from a disappointing finish last season by challenging for the Scudetto and ultimately clinching an automatic Champions League berth.
After an underachieving season in 2014-2015, Napoli were given no shot by the bookies to even come close to Champions League qualification, let alone challenge Juventus to the scudetto. There were so many questions to be answered at the end of last year’s campaign; Who would be head coach? Which players would come/go? Where could this Napoli finish in next year’s Serie A? Could Napoli retain the services of Gonzalo Higuain? Napoli ended up having one of their most successful seasons ever, despite not reaching the ultimate goal of winning the league after missing out due to Juventus’ 24 wins in the last 25 games.
Season summary:
Serie A: 2nd Place, 82 points, Champions League Qualification
Europa League: Round of 32 exit.
Coppa Italia: Quarterfinal exit.
Many Napoli fans were very upset at the lack of money budgeted into improving the squad, despite acquiring Elseid Hysaj, Allan, Mirko Valdifiori, Vlad Chiriches and the return of Jose Reina. Many fans were expecting Napoli to splash the cash this past summer as it looked like they desperately needed a change in players just as much as a change in coach. This was not the case in Aurelio De Laurentiis’ eyes as all he really did was tweak the squad a bit and change the coach. Look at where that got Napoli, a club record season.
Napoli broke their ultimate point total, which was set at 78 points originally. This year, Napoli eclipsed that total by 3 as they would finish out the ’15/’16 season with 82 points. Napoli also broke their record for most goals scored in a single season by scoring 106 goals in all competitions. Moreover, Napoli, along with Borussia Dortmund, were the among the only teams in Europe’s top 5 leagues to have an undefeated home record. A truly remarkable feat.
However, the season did not start as fans all aspired it to, as Napoli started off their campaign with 2 draws and a loss from 3 games. The next game against Lazio proved to be the turning point in what looked like a gloomy season ahead. After a comprehensive 5-0 victory against the team that eliminated Napoli from UCL contention the year before, things were looking up for the partenopei. Then, a few weeks later, Napoli went on to beat their most hated rival, Juventus, 2-1 at the Stadio San Paolo. A truly magical night for the azzurri. After that game, every fan of Serie A calcio knew this Napoli side were the real deal and would give everyone a run for their money.
All in all, Napoli would go onto almost dethrone Juventus at the pinnacle of Italian football and automatically place themselves in next year’s Champions League, something that was very important for the improvement of what looks like a promising turnaround for the club. From the Benitez days to the Sarri days, one can see how much this squad has improved, and with little tweaks if any. Only minor changes brought this side from a fifth place finish the year before with 63 points to a side worthy of second place and a point total amounting to 82. These are exciting times for Napoli fans all over the world, it will be interesting to see the heights this Napoli reach under Maurizio Sarri’s leadership.
Player of the Season – Gonzalo Higuain
Ask anyone who Napoli’s best player was in the 2015-2016 season and they will give you a very quick answer in the form of the Partenopei’s striker, Gonzalo Higuain. Il Pipita was capocannoniere (player with most the most goals) of the Serie A with 36 goals in 35 appearances. There was always some worry about Napoli when Higuain was not in the lineup because he did so much for the squad in the attack.
Having Higuain on the pitch meant defenders giving him a lot of attention, which in turn allowed some space to open up for other players to score or eventually find the Argentine. With his 36 goals this season, Higuain broke the record for most goals in a season in the Serie A, sealing his name in league history. Higuain was a vital part of Napoli’s success this season.
Signing of the Season – Allan
In a move from Udinese to Napoli, Allan proved to be an integral part to Napoli’s run in the Serie A. While defense is important, the midfield is often the key to a team’s success. The acquisition of Allan along with the resurgence of Jorginho contributed to Napoli’s impressive midfield. Allan showed hustle consistently for his team, constantly chasing the ball and making key interceptions and tackles. Not only did the Brazilian work hard on the defensive side of the ball, he also scored 3 goals and provided 5 assists along with an efficiently successful passing rate. Allan’s work rates were second to none on both sides of the ball. His signing sparked a revival in the Napoli midfield.
Final Word –
The 2015-2016 campaign proved to be an epic bounce-back season for Napoli after an abysmal finish the prior season under Rafa Benitez. With a new manager in Sarri, and no big-name transfers, many critics did not expect the azzurri to finish in 2nd place in the Serie A while posing a threat to Juventus for most of the year. Yes, Napoli did flop in the Europa League, going out at the hands of Villarreal in the Round of 32, and they did lose to Inter in the Coppa Italia tournament, but they now have their sights on the upcoming Champions League campaign. The Partenopei also go into next season with the utmost confidence that they can challenge Juventus for the Scudetto, especially after finishing the first half of the season atop the table as “Winter Champions.” With President De Laurentiis already announcing the signing of Lorenzo Tonelli, Napoli will reinforce their squad to prepare for a Champions League run and push for the Serie A title. Expect great things to come for Napoli in next year’s edition of Serie A TIM.
– Made in collaboration with Daniel Russo
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