23 March 2023 , 10:38
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There is over a quarter of the season to go but Napoli fans are already planning for the mother of all parties.
The city is getting ready to celebrate their third ever Serie A league title - and the first since Diego Maradona played for them. England play Italy on Thursday night and Three Lions fans will find Naples covered in the club colours of light blue and white. Flags and miles and miles of bunting already festoon much of the city.
It’s an incredible sight. On the Via Guidecca Vecchi hundreds of banners have been tied from top to bottom from apartment block to apartment block. This one street is about six miles from the Diego Armando Maradona stadium. But it’s far from the only street one readying for the title.
Napoli are 19 points clear at the top of the Italian Serie A table. On the walls of the old city there are abusive messages aimed at bitter rivals and Northern giants Juventus. One creative fan has painted a picture of a football pitch with every Napoli player holding a Juventus player each portrayed as dogs on a lead.
Maradona is still revered here and his image is plastered alongside the present heroes. The “King of Napoli” is even seen next to the “Queen of England” in shops in the old town as they sell mementos of Maradona and Queen Elizabeth II.
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The southern city of Napoli has always resented the big clubs of Turin, Milan and Rome. Now for the first time in 33 years they are on the verge of landing the Scudetto. And the Napoli fans want England, the rest of Italy and the world to know just how much it means to them.
Napoli are poised to end a lengthy wait for a Serie A titleTheir last win before the international break came over Torino, who were dispatched with minimal fuss as Napoli hit four past them. Fans have also been able to bask in glory following several high profile wins over their rivals - including a 5-1 demolition of Juventus back in January.
Their domestic efforts have also filtered into their European campaign, where they've long been named among the Champions League dark horses.
The Italians easily saw off Frankfurt, who were beaten 5-0 on aggregate and now they'll take on domestic rivals AC Milan in the last eight. The draw has also opened up for them with Napoli potentially facing the winner of Inter Milan vs Benfica having avoided the heavyweights, who are all on the other half of the draw.