‘ Angry’ Napoli bounce back to crush Atalanta

Team had to remain in isolation on health authority instructions

Hirving Lozano bagged a brace as Napoli thumped Atalanta 4- 1 yesterday, days after they were punished for failing to turn up for their last Serie A game against Juventus.

Napoli were handed a 3- 0 defeat and one- point deduction for not travelling to Turin earlier this month after recording two cases of coronavirus.

But Gennaro Gattuso’s side picked up where they left off before the controversy, with a third win in as many league games they have played.

“I’ve heard say that we didn’t want to go ( to Turin), it’s not true,” said Gattuso.

“I’m more angry than anyone that we weren’t allowed to go.”

Napoli maintained they had to remain in isolation on local health authority instructions. “Juventus are a team under construction,” continued Gattuso. “I had the feeling that we could play that match like we did today.”

Mexican forward Lozano scored two quick- fire goals in the first half, having also picked up a brace in Napoli’s previous completed match — a 6- 0 win over Genoa also at the San Paolo Stadium.

Matteo Politano blasted in a third after half an hour with Victor Osimhen grabbing his first Napoli goal just before the break. “Brilliant Napoli! What a pity not being able to play Juventus in Turin,” tweeted Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis.

Wake- up call

Slovenian forward Josip Ilicic returned for highly fancied Atalanta after nearly three months out with personal problems, starting up front alongside Papu Gomez and Duvan Zapata.

But with many players returning from international duty Gian Piero Gasperini’s side lacked the fire power of their previous three games in which they had scored 13 goals.

“This defeat as a wake- up call,” said Gasperini ahead of their Champions League opener against Danish club Midtjylland. “We had problems from every point of view, we suffered against Napoli.”