Naples - Word to the cold numbers: a year ago, after 24 league days, Napoli had 10 points more in the standings. An unexpected collapse, which goes well beyond the legitimate settlement due to the change on the bench but that, looking at the current position in the ranking of the Azzurri (second at -13 from Juventus and +7 on Inter) makes further merit to the work of Maurizio Sarri.

BETTER ONLY THAN UDINESE AND CHIEVO - Irony of destiny, the Tuscan technician currently at Chelsea if it passes very badly, while Neapolitan, in hindsight, have in safe both the participation in the next Champions and the transition to the second round of the current Europa League : not a little, but not so much to silence some breeze of disappointment. Suffice it to say that in the comparison between the Serie A in progress and the one after 24 days only Udinese and Chievo have done worse than Napoli with a negative balance of 11 and 13 points respectively compared to a year ago. These are two teams entangled in the struggle for salvation, while the Blues militate in other positions on the list. Despite the decline, one would say: it is a bit 'as if the car (almost) perfect built by Sarri in his three-year period this season, little touched by the market both incoming and outgoing, has gone ahead of inertia, but accusing the passage of time for certain players and the waste that, after the scorching disappointment of the past tournament, have remained in the heads and legs of many. The emblem is certainly that Marek Hamsik flew to China a few days ago but, by his tacit admission, with the plug already detached from the summer because of that big gripe called the championship.

SUMMARY REVOLUTION - For once, the line of continuity dictated by Aurelio De Laurentiis has proved to be at least risky: only the continuation of the journey in the Europa League of Naples can give a positive or negative meaning to this term. Not even the patron has calculated the power of toxins of the last season that has overcome the desire for revenge against a Juventus who, in the meantime, hit the market the deadly blow Cristiano Ronaldo. Hence the urgency, however this year ends, of a summer revolution: the definition of passing season has been strongly repudiated by Carlo Ancelotti but, in a sense, only a possible trophy raised in Baku next May 29 will deny the current coach of Naples.