CHAPTER 155: CHAPTER 150: NAPOLI VS ATALANTA I

Sunday, September 18, 2022

Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples

8:45 PM - Kickoff

Naples was already vibrating before kickoff and the sound wasn’t just noise but something physical that pressed against eardrums and made the pitch tremble under Demien’s studs, and drums pounded against the concrete stands in synchronized rhythm while blue flags flapped like waves across every section of the Maradona.

The roar swelled when both teams lined up for kickoff and fifty-five thousand voices merged into one sustained scream that made the floodlights seem to shake, and the commentary from the stadium speakers cut through only in moments with crackling echo as the announcer shouted lineups over the chaos.

"NUMERO VENTOTTO," the stadium announcer’s voice boomed. "DEMIEN WALTER!"

Napoli fans whistled extra loudly when his name was mentioned and the sound was sharp and hostile because they knew he was Atalanta’s young rising threat, and the whistles came from every direction at once while blue smoke from flares drifted across the stands.

Demien stood in his position and his chest felt tight though his breathing stayed controlled, and he looked across at Napoli’s midfield where Lobotka stood with calm eyes already tracking him.

The referee raised the whistle to his lips one final time and blew, and Napoli kicked off.

1’ - 10’ |

From the first touches Demien realized the night would be brutal because Napoli’s 4-3-3 pressed with fury, and their shape was aggressive with Osimhen closing down Atalanta’s center-backs immediately while Kvaratskhelia and Politano cut off passing lanes to the midfield.

Demien tried to check in between the lines to receive the ball but his marker—Anguissa, physical and disciplined—bumped him from behind the moment he made his movement, and the contact was hard enough to knock him off balance though not enough for the referee to whistle.

The crowd cheered the bump like a tiny victory and the sound swelled with approval.

Commentary Booth

"Already you can see Napoli’s intensity," Caressa said, and his voice carried excitement. "Anguissa is all over Walter. Not giving him a second to breathe."

"That’s the gameplan," Bergomi responded. "You don’t let creative players settle. You harass them physically from the first minute. Walter’s eighteen years old—let’s see how he handles this pressure."

De Roon tried to play the ball into Demien’s feet at the 3rd minute but Anguissa’s pressure forced Demien to take a heavy first touch, and the ball rolled away from him toward the left flank where a Napoli midfielder collected it cleanly.

The stadium exploded into mocking applause and shouts of "Eeeehhh!" came from all corners, and the sound was derisive and cruel in the way only Italian crowds could be.

Demien’s jaw tightened.

Commentary Booth

"Walter looks uncomfortable already," Caressa noted. "That’s his first miscontrol. Napoli have locked him down early."

"You can see it in his body language," Bergomi added. "He’s looking over his shoulder constantly, aware of Anguissa behind him. That’s not confidence. That’s survival mode."

Touchline

Gasperini stood in the technical area with his arms crossed and his eyes tracked the pattern developing, and when Demien lost possession again at the 6th minute—another heavy touch under pressure—the manager’s voice cut across the pitch.

"DEMIEN! RECEIVE ON THE HALF-TURN! DON’T LET HIM SET BEHIND YOU!"

But the instructions were hard to execute when Anguissa’s physicality was relentless and the referee was allowing contact that would have been fouls in training, and Demien’s frustration was building with each bump and each misplaced touch.

At the 8th minute Koopmeiners tried to find him with a diagonal pass but Anguissa read it early and stepped in front to intercept, and the Napoli midfielder immediately launched a counter-attack with a first-time pass forward that split Atalanta’s midfield.

The crowd roared approval and drums thundered louder.

Napoli transitioned quickly with Politano receiving on the right wing before cutting inside, though Djimsiti recovered well to block the shot that went wide for a corner.

Commentary Booth

"Napoli are dominating the opening exchanges," Caressa said. "Atalanta can’t get out of their own half. Walter’s supposed to be the link but he’s been completely nullified so far."

"That’s elite pressing," Bergomi responded. "Look at how compact they stay. Five players within fifteen meters of the ball at all times. No space, no time, no mercy."

11’ |

The goal developed at the 11th minute and it started innocuously with Napoli working the ball from their right-back Di Lorenzo into midfield, and Atalanta pressed forward to engage though their shape was slightly stretched from chasing the game.

Di Lorenzo played it to Lobotka who took one touch before attracting pressure from two Atalanta midfielders, and the moment they committed he switched the ball quickly to the far side with a lofted pass that bypassed the press completely.

Kvaratskhelia received on the left wing with space to attack and the crowd rose together sensing danger, and the Georgian winger’s first touch was clean before he accelerated forward with that distinctive low center of gravity that made him so hard to defend.

Hateboer moved to engage but Kvaratskhelia cut inside with a sharp feint that shifted his weight left before exploding right, and the move was so quick that Hateboer’s momentum carried him the wrong way completely.

The stadium gasped collectively and the sound was anticipation building.

Commentary Booth

"Kvaratskhelia! Space opening up!" Caressa’s voice rose.

Kvaratskhelia drove into the penalty area at an angle and Demiral slid across to cover, but instead of shooting the winger looked up and saw Osimhen making a run toward the near post.

The cross came low and hard across the six-yard box—not lifted but driven with pace—and Osimhen arrived at the penalty spot exactly when the ball did with timing that was instinctive.

His right foot redirected it past Musso who had no chance from that range, and the ball hit the back of the net before the goalkeeper could react.

Commentary Booth

"GOOOOOL! OSIMHEN!" Caressa screamed over the noise. "That’s deadly! Napoli lead! Beautiful combination play from Spalletti’s men—Lobotka’s vision, Kvaratskhelia’s dribbling, Osimhen’s movement—clinical finishing!"