By Anna Italia
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66% Ball Possession NAPOLI and 34% Ball Possession ATALANTA
Napoli 0 – 2 Atalanta
.                                                      28′ Mattia Caldara
.                                                      70′ Mattia Caldara

Serie A Standing BEFORE the game:
Napoli, 3rd position with 54 points and a positive goal difference of +33
Atalanta 5th position with 48 points and a positive goal difference of +14

A challenge for Napoli to keep up the race for the Scudetto.  Napoli with 54 points is -9 points below Juventus with 63 points.   Total chaos for Napoli failing to win this home game to forget the defeat against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu Stadium and be ready to receive Real Madrid at the San Paolo Stadium for the Champions League Second Leg.   A courageous Atalanta surviving the pressure to win the away game keeping up their race for a spot in Europa League next season.

A cold shower at the San Paolo in the 28th minute.  It is Atalanta to open the score following a corner conceded by Faouizi Ghoulam.  It is Mattia Caldara to defeat Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina with a headed shot in the bottom left corner.  The assist is by Andrea Conti.

Problems for Atalanta.  Referee Domenico Celi giving a red card in the 67th minute to defender Franck Kessié after collecting a second yellow card.   Atalanta remaining with 10 players.

Say what?  A nightmare for Napoli!  A brave Atalanta with 10 players managed to score another goal.  In the 70th minute, it is defender Mattia Caldara to smack a  right footed shot in the bottom left corner.   The assist is by forward Leonardo Spinazzola with a cross.    Way to go for Caldara being the verdugo for Napoli.

• There are  45 precedents between Napoli vs Atalanta at the San Paolo Stadium since 1938.   Stats showing Napoli with 32 wins, 9 draws, and Atalanta with 4 wins.   Napoli scoring 80 goals and Atalanta 29 goals.

Here  is NAPOLI official starting lineup – formation by coach Maurizio Sarri:

NAPOLI (4-3-3): Reina; Hysaj, Maksimović, Albiol, Ghoulam; Zieliński, Diawara, Hamšík; Callejón, Mertens, Insigne.

Here is ATALANTA official starting lineup by coach Gian Piero Gasperini:

ATALANTA (3-4-1-2): Berisha; Tolói, Caldara, Masiello; Conti, Kessié, Freuler, Spinazzola; Kurtić; Petagna, Gómez.

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Click the video to watch NAPOLI 0 – 2 ATALANTA highlights including all goals. Saturday 25 February 2017

Stats BEFORE the game.  Top scorer of NAPOLI: Dries Mertens with 16 goals

Top scorer of ATALANTA: Alejandro Gomez with 9 goals

Stats.  Here are the last 3 games of NAPOLI:  2 wins, 1 lost

Stats.  Here are the last 3 games of ATALANTA:  3 wins

Photo: facebook.com/SSCNapoli

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2016 – 2017 Italian Serie A Week 26

Napoli 0 – 2 Atalanta
Saturday 25 February 2017
San Paolo Stadium
Naples, Italy

18:00

Referee: CELI
Assistants: BARBIRATI – MARZALONI
Fourth Official: CRISPO
ADD1: RIZZOLI
ADD2: PASQUA

Goals:  28′ Mattia Caldara (A), 70′ Mattia Caldara (A)

Official lineups – formations:

NAPOLI (4-3-3): Reina; Hysaj, Maksimović, Albiol, Ghoulam; Zieliński, Diawara, Hamšík; Callejón, Mertens, Insigne.

Subs: Sepe, Rafael; Maggio, Chiricheș, Koulibaly, Strinić, Jorginho, Rog, Giaccherini, Pavoletti, Milik.

Coach:  Maurizio Sarri

ATALANTA (3-4-1-2): Berisha; Tolói, Caldara, Masiello; Conti, Kessié, Freuler, Spinazzola; Kurtić; Petagna, Gómez.

Subs: Gollini, Rossi; Zukanović, Bastoni, Hateboer, Konko, Cristante, Grassi, Dramé, D’Alessandro, Mounier, Paloschi.

Coach: Gasperini