Conte’s side mirrored Roma’s setup and won thanks to a counterattack finished by Neres. Controversies exploded in both Rome and Milan.
The big match between Roma and Napoli delivered a stunning atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico: yet another sellout for the Giallorossi, matched by a packed away end, creating a spectacle in the stands that wasn’t fully matched by the football on the pitch.
Roma and Napoli faced each other man-to-man, mirroring systems, producing an old-school battle where individual duels and moments of brilliance mattered far more than fluid play. Conte’s biggest achievement was restoring identity and soul to a team devastated by injuries: Napoli embraced a hardworking, combative approach and beat Roma on their own turf — the “Gasperini style” of rhythm, aggression, and 1v1 duels.
The decisive play came from David Neres, who with a supersonic coast-to-coast run finished off a textbook counterattack, keeping his composure after a 50-meter sprint. Roma protested a questionable initial challenge by Rrahmani on Koné — not whistled by the referee. As Gasperini pointed out after the match, it’s a borderline situation with no single interpretation: the Napoli defender gets the ball but then barrels into the Roma midfielder.
This falls under a protocol scenario excluding VAR intervention, since there was no “clear and obvious error,” meaning the on-field decision stands. Still, doubts remain about Massa’s call, because challenges like this are usually whistled 9 times out of 10 — and touching the ball does not erase a foul if the follow-through wipes out the opponent. In the second half, Massa ignored an almost identical foul just outside the Napoli box on Dybala, which led to a counterattack not converted by Napoli. The referee’s “luck” was that the move didn’t end in a goal, otherwise the controversy would have tripled regardless of his VAR decision. Overall, Massa’s performance — going from whistling every contact, to not calling anything, then back to whistling everything late on — was severely insufficient, adding tension and killing rhythm in an already physical encounter. And to think Masa is considered one of the league’s top officials…
The Rrahmani challenge on Koné that started Neres’ decisive goal
Beyond refereeing issues, the better team won — simply because Napoli’s key players are stronger. Ferguson, for instance, never saw the ball in the first half, failing to take advantage of his first-team opportunity under Gasperini. On the other side, Højlund kept Roma’s defense under constant pressure and essentially carried the entire frontline. One is a dry loan, the other cost €45 million (loan + obligation), and the difference was clear.
The feeling is that Lukaku’s return will give Conte an enormous upgrade in attacking power. Alongside Højlund — either together or rotating — they form one of the most complete No.9 pairings in Italy. The closest comparisons might be Lautaro–Thuram at Inter (though neither is a pure No.9) or Vlahović–David at Juve (pure 9s, and excellent ones, even if saying so right now feels ironic…).
Roma, on the other hand, will not see the same jump in quality when Dovbyk returns, which is why the January market theme in the capital is already centered around giving Gasperini the striker he desperately needs. Roma’s dream signing remains Zirkzee, reportedly set to leave Manchester United — but after getting a rare start on Sunday away at Crystal Palace, he responded with a crucial goal in a comeback win. A deal described in the Netherlands as “advanced” may now slow dramatically.
The Serie A table now has Napoli and Milan tied at the top. Allegri’s side reclaimed first place by beating Lazio “di corto muso,” but more controversy followed: a penalty awarded to Lazio in the 95th minute was then revoked after VAR review. It wasn’t a penalty — Pavlović’s handball was not punishable — but the open-mic explanation from referee Collu left everyone stunned. Collu said Pavlović’s arm position was unnatural (thus validating the initial penalty), but that a preceding foul by Marušić on a Milan player emerged from VAR review, so the penalty was canceled. Two errors that cancel each other out, leading to the “correct” final decision — in the most absurd and confusing way imaginable.
The Pavlović–Marušić Incident in Milan–Lazio
The impression is that, in terms of VAR protocol and use, Italian referees are now in a full-blown crisis, likely worsened by contradictory instructions given over the past year by designator Rocchi, whose authority seems increasingly fragile, with Orsato’s looming presence in the background ahead of Rocchi’s mandate expiring in June. Meanwhile, across Serie A grounds, refereeing and VAR disasters continue to unfold week after week.
L’articolo Serie A: Napoli Win the Olimpico Showdown and Go Top Again — Endless VAR and Referee Controversies proviene da Soccer Made In Italy.
