Victor Osimhen’s hat-trick and a brace by Kvicha Kvaratskhelia propelled Napoli to a commanding 6-1 victory over Sassuolo, marking Francesco Calzona’s inaugural triumph and a challenging debut for Emiliano Bigica.
Sassuolo, led by interim coach Bigica following the dismissal of Alessio Dionisi, commenced their encounter with Napoli amidst a backdrop of managerial transition. Despite one victory and a draw in 13 competitive fixtures, Sassuolo faced the absence of Jeremy Toljan and the suspension of Daniel Boloca, while Domenico Berardi and Martin Erlic were only deemed fit for the bench. Meanwhile, Calzona sought his maiden victory following previous 1-1 stalemates against Barcelona and Cagliari. Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo returned from suspension, yet Jens Cajuste joined Cyril Ngonge on the sidelines due to injury.
In the early exchanges, Hamed Junior Traore, facing his former team, narrowly missed the target, and Gian Marco Ferrari intervened decisively to deny Victor Osimhen a goal-scoring opportunity. Nevertheless, Sassuolo defied the run of play to seize the lead through Uros Racic’s artful finish, crafted from an Andrea Pinamonti effort deflected to the edge of the box.
Napoli responded swiftly, with a cohesive team move culminating in Amir Rrahmani’s clinical finish following an intricate sequence initiated by Di Lorenzo and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa. Moments later, Matteo Politano’s delivery found Osimhen, who clinically dispatched the ball into the net, epitomizing Napoli’s sudden turnaround.
Kvicha Kvaratskhelia endeavored to exploit Andrea Consigli’s advanced positioning with an audacious lob, narrowly missing the target. Following a brief interruption to repair the dislodged net, Napoli extended their advantage courtesy of Osimhen’s predatory instincts and Sassuolo’s defensive lapse. Kvaratskhelia further compounded Sassuolo’s woes with a composed finish from the left flank, before adding a second goal via a determined effort from a corner.
Despite Sassuolo’s efforts to restore parity, Napoli remained resolute, as Simeone’s fierce strike tested Consigli’s reflexes. Ultimately, Napoli’s comprehensive victory underscored their dominance, while Sassuolo endured a nightmarish introduction under Bigica’s stewardship.
Sassuolo 1-6 Napoli