Four and a half months after Argentina’s first World Cup triumph in the post-Maradona era, Diego’s other big love, Napoli, won the coveted crown after the iconic team from southern Italy became Italian champions on Thursday – also for the first time. time in the post-Maradona era.

Luciano Spalletti’s amazing team, built not on signings or expensive transfers, but on fresh, free football and the pure talent of players like Quarachelia, Osimene and others, was 16 points clear of second-placed Lazio yesterday with five games left in the standings. . evening and caused the expected outbreak of madness in southern Italy.

Napoli have been waiting for their third title for 33 years after winning in 1987 and 1990, so the delay of the mathematical conquest by four days due to the Salernitana draw last Sunday (1-1) did not hurt either. partenopei” them: it goes without saying that the title ended up in the city of Sophia Loren.

Osimene’s equalizer (1-1) on Thursday in Udine (in a crowded Napoli stadium on the other side of Italy) was the signal for an endless party. The outburst was sensational: night became day in Naples with fireworks, wild celebrations, incessant horns and whistles, in a unique carnival of joy that flooded not only the main streets, but also areas of the city that were suffering from poverty and crime. for many years the big city The party will continue last night.

“Naples in Heaven” and “Did You See It, Maradona?” yesterday the Italian sports newspapers were on the front pages. In 1987, right after the first Scudetto was won, someone posted a banner outside the wall of a cemetery in Naples with an appeal to the nationalist-minded fellow citizens: “And they don’t know what they have lost.” The next day, someone scribbled right below him: “We haven’t lost anything!” Undoubtedly, they have not missed anything this year, now that Diego is with them …