- Napoli were held to a goalless draw by Parma, hitting the woodwork three times and having a penalty overturned by VAR
- Antonio Conte and Parma coach Cristian Chivu were both sent off following a heated exchange late in the match
- Napoli will secure the Serie A title with a win over Cagliari on the final day, but Conte will be suspended
Key Takeaways:
Serie A leaders Napoli stumbled again, settling for a 0-0 draw away to Parma in the penultimate 37th round of the season. After dropping points against Genoa in their previous game, Napoli were once again frustrated, hitting the woodwork three times and being denied by Parma’s goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who made several impressive saves. Tensions flared at the end of the match when Napoli coach Antonio Conte clashed with Parma’s Cristian Chivu, resulting in both managers being sent off by referee Daniele Doveri. In the final seconds, Napoli were awarded a penalty, but VAR intervened, and the decision was overturned.
Napoli head into the final Serie A match day with a one-point lead over Inter. But the penultimate day was wild 😱
HT—Inter 1-0 Lazio and Parma 0-0 Napoli
72’—Lazio equalize
80’—Inter take 2-1 lead
88’—Inzaghi sent off
90’—Penalty to Lazio who equalize again
90+1’—Conte sent off… pic.twitter.com/rbqpjoSpyR— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 18, 2025
Napoli still control their destiny and will secure the title with a win over already-safe Cagliari at Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on the final day of the season. However, they will be without Conte, who will serve a suspension. For Parma, the point was crucial in their survival fight, but they remain in danger with just one win in their last 11 matches.
The match started with a lively pace, and the first shot on target came in the third minute when Ange-Yoan Bonny tried his luck from distance, but Napoli’s Alex Meret was not troubled. Napoli responded seven minutes later with a dangerous shot from Matteo Politano, but Suzuki made a fine save. The game then settled, with Parma coming close again in the 31st minute when Simon Sohm’s powerful strike forced Meret to turn the ball away for a corner.
Just three minutes later, Napoli nearly took the lead. Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa executed an acrobatic bicycle kick, but the ball struck the post. Early in the second half, Sohm tried his luck again from distance, but Meret was equal to it. Napoli’s best chance came in the 56th minute when Giacomo Raspadori’s shot was brilliantly saved by Suzuki. Seconds later, Politano’s cross grazed the crossbar.
The frustration continued for Napoli as Scott McTominay’s free-kick in the 72nd minute was tipped onto the post by the brilliant Suzuki. Antonio Conte introduced fresh legs, including David Neres, Philip Billing, and Giovanni Simeone, but it didn’t change the outcome.
Tensions escalated late in the match. Conte approached Chivu, and a heated exchange between the two coaches led to both being shown red cards. In the final moments, drama intensified when Napoli were awarded a penalty after Neres was fouled by Mathias Lovik in the box. However, after a VAR review, the decision was overturned due to an earlier foul by Giovanni Simeone.
The dramatic encounter ended goalless, leaving Napoli’s title hopes in their own hands, but without Conte on the touchline for the decisive final match.