The first at the San Paolo is by Dries Mertens. His double is enough for Napoli to reduce the expectations of Sampdoria who would have liked the first points from this trip. But it went badly, because Carlo Ancelotti's collective gave him few opportunities, however created by the usual mistakes of the individual. Napoli, therefore, has been able to take advantage of Juventus, in Florence, to reduce the disadvantage to a single point waiting to understand what will happen at San Siro. For the first time in Fuorigrotta, the coach was not spared, he granted the gangway to the new ones, deploying Elmas and Lozano from the first minute and inserting Llorente in the last 25 minutes. A good test, all things considered, in anticipation of the first Champions League match against Liverpool, scheduled for Tuesday night.

LOZANO IN - The night will have advised Ancelotti to keep Llorente out, announced by himself as the day before. Instead, Hirving Lozano plays alongside Mertens in the offensive pair. The initial 4-4-2 of Napoli is evident, with Fabian Ruiz and Elmas central in midfield, with Callejon and Zielinski on the outside. In defense there is no Manolas, but Maksimovic, in the mini turnover set by the coach in anticipation of the match against Liverpool. Di Francesco, on the other hand, relies on Murillo and Regini, the two central defense, to keep the attack at bay, while in attack Rigoni and Quagliarella try to annoy the Neapolitan rearguard: Caprari acts behind them as playmaker.

INITIAL SPECTACLE - It's a nice sight to see this Naples. The maneuver is of superior quality and the Samp must soon close in its own half of the field to limit the pressure of the opponent. Fabian Ruiz tries (5 ’) from outside the area, but Audero blocks. It's up to Meret to make the day. He will do it first by instinctively slapping a deviation of Ferrari and he will repeat himself on 19 ', with a prodigy on Rigoni launched from a goal by Elmas. The Napoli, therefore, keeps the game, whenever Lozano touches the ball there is the admiration of the San Paolo. They must however spend 13 minutes for the goal of the advantage. Callejon throws Di Lorenzo on the right which, from first, crosses low. Mertens pounced on the ball for the winning shot. It seems that nothing can counter this Naples. But Sampdoria quickly regroups, immediately after the same Belgian striker (18 ') hits the inside of the crossbar.

THREE BALLS GOALS - Sampdoria, therefore, regains confidence and often leads by Meret's parts. Quagliarella touches the pole twice with shots from distance and the Neapolitan goalkeeper must perform a miracle, as we said on Rigoni. The Neapolitan defense is not yet at the maximum, Koulibaly makes a couple of mistakes that highlight a state of still precarious form. The first half ends with Sampdoria in the Neapolitan area.

MERTENS - The verve of the Dorians is exhausted in the first 45 minutes, because Napoli resumes command. Audero must lie down (6 ’) to deflect Elmas' conclusion in a corner. The Macedonian midfielder dominates in the middle of the field, showing great personality and determination. The race in Lozano ends 20 minutes after the start of the second half: Ancelotti sends Fernando Llorente onto the pitch. Which becomes the protagonist after just two minutes, when he backs the ball for the winning conclusion of Mertens for the first one-two. Samp is on the ropes, Di Francesco jumps on the bench, but the difference in values ​​is too strong. Callejon shoots on Mertens 'cross (26') and Audero flies to a corner, while Quagliarella, always flying, hits the outside of the net. In the last quarter of an hour there is also room for Insigne, who Ancelotti sends to the field in place of Elmas. The San Paolo will reopen the doors again on Tuesday, for the first Champions League match, against the defending champions Liverpool.