Key Takeaways:
- Last night, Juventus secured a resounding 3-0 win against reigning champions Napoli in Serie A’s 22nd round
- Jonathan David, Kenan Yildiz, and Filip Kostic contributed the goals, handing Napoli their first league defeat of the year
- Juventus rose to fourth place with 42 points, now trailing Napoli by only one point
Match Analysis
In a statement performance at home, Juventus dispatched Napoli with a 3-0 scoreline, marking their most comprehensive victory over the Neapolitans since November 2013. Jonathan David opened the proceedings in the 22nd minute, with Kenan Yildiz and substitute Filip Kostic adding to the tally late on. The result not only saw coach Luciano Spalletti get the better of his former club – currently managed by Antonio Conte – but also snapped a four-match winless run against the southern side.
Both benches made a single alteration from their previous European outings. Spalletti drafted Weston McKennie into an advanced midfield role in place of Fabio Miretti, with Francisco Conceicao deployed on the right and Yildiz starting on the left flank. David resumed duties as the lone striker. For Napoli, Conte, following a 1-1 Champions League draw against Copenhagen, introduced Alex Meret in goal for the injured Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. Rasmus Hojlund spearheaded the attack, flanked primarily by Antonio Vergara and Eljif Elmas.
FT |⌛️| Three goals and three points: absolutely brilliant lads! ⚪️⚫️ 💪🏻@EASPORTSFC @easportsfcit #JuveNapoli pic.twitter.com/tONViQwlJE
— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) January 25, 2026
Key Moments and Tactical Flow
The opening exchanges were largely uneventful. The tempo only heightened in the 19th minute, when Khéphren Thuram clipped the woodwork with an audacious effort. Napoli responded with speculative efforts by Vergara and Hojlund, falling short due to a save and off-target strike respectively. Juventus, however, found their breakthrough moments later, with Manuel Locatelli expertly picking out David, who displayed deft chest control and a composed finish.
Soon after, Francisco Conceicao nearly made it two, only for Alessandro Bongiorno to clear off the line. Locatelli himself drew a decent save from Meret, while referee controversy followed as Hojlund and Vergara went to ground under challenge but appeals for a penalty went unanswered, drawing visible frustration from Conte. Another notable effort before the break saw Thuram denied by a Juan Jesus block.
After half-time, David tried his luck from range but failed to bother Meret. Bremer’s block on a Spinazzola attempt presented Hojlund with an opening, though the striker was wasteful. Simple chances continued to elude both sides, but the stalemate broke again on 77 minutes. Substitute Miretti intercepted a wayward Jesus pass and teed up Yildiz, who duly doubled the advantage.
Conte introduced Romelu Lukaku for his season debut in an effort to salvage the match, but Juventus maintained their grip. Yildiz missed an opportunity for a brace, yet a defensive error by Bongiorno allowed Filip Kostic to cap the scoring in the 86th minute with a precise long-range strike.
Statistics and Standings Impact
The victory saw Juventus accumulate 42 points, climbing to fourth place and reducing the gap to Napoli – who conceded their first Serie A defeat of the year – to just one point. The solid display from Spalletti’s charges suggests renewed momentum in their Champions League ambitions as the title race intensifies.
| Result | Goalscorers |
|---|---|
| Juventus 3 – 0 Napoli | David (22′), Yildiz (77′), Kostic (86′) |
| Juventus Starting XI | Napoli Starting XI |
|---|---|
| Di Gregorio, Kalulu, Bremer, Gatti, Cambiaso, Locatelli, Thuram, Conceicao, McKennie, Yildiz, David | Meret, Di Lorenzo, Bongiorno, Jesus, Gutierrez, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola, Vergara, Elmas, Hojlund |
