This is the most brutal reunion of the decade. European giant out of cups!

Just 12 months ago, SSC Napoli with Piotr Zieliński celebrated the third Italian championship in the club’s history, and now it has experienced a real drama. Not only did the players from Naples not even join the fight to defend the title, but they ended the season in the middle of the Serie A table. This means that for the first time in 15 years they will not play in European cups at all.

In the 2022/23 season, Napoli celebrated the first Italian championship after 33 years, and their team’s first violinists included: Victor Osimhen ,  Chwicza Kwaracchelia , Piotr Zieliński and Giovanni Di Lorenzo. All four stayed in the club for another season to fight for the defense of the championship title, but this time it ended in a real tragedy. Already in the middle of the season, it was known that the Neapolitans would not fight to win Serie A, but no one expected it would be so bad.

Napoli worst in 15 years. A tragic season for the abdicating Italian champions

Napoli still had a chance to qualify for the European cups in the last rounds of the league. For this, however, it needed only victories and defeats of its biggest rivals. Unfortunately for the Campanian team, it was neither. In the last round of Serie A, Napoli drew 0-0 with Lecce and ended the season in a tragic 10th place in the league.

With a record of 13 wins, 14 draws and 11 losses, Piotr Zieliński’s team took the worst place in the Italian elite since the 2008/09 season. At that time, the Neapolitans took only 12th place. However, it was the second season after promotion to Serie A, and not an attempt to defend the Italian championship.

Such a poor position also means that Napoli will not play in European cups in the 2024/25 season. The last time such a situation occurred 15 years ago – in the 2009/2010 season. Since then, the Italian team has played in the Champions League nine times and in the Europa League seven times.

It is possible that such a poor result and lack of qualification for cups means that key players will leave Napoli. It is already known that Inter Milan will be strengthened by Piotr Zieliński, and Osimhen and Kwaracchelia are targeted by well-known clubs. The media reported that both are interested in PSG, and the Nigerian is also being considered for Chelsea.

Will Napoli improve their result in the 2024/25 season?