Napoli Cruises Past Palermo Amidst Fan Trouble in Coppa Italia

Napoli will proceed to face Lazio in the last 16 of the Italian Cup following a decisive 5-0 victory over a 10-man Palermo side on Thursday evening. The match, occurring at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, was not without incidents, as trouble in the stands overshadowed what should have been a straightforward win for Napoli.

The match began with an early brace from Cyril Ngonge, setting Napoli on a clear path to victory. Juan Jesus added further assurance with a goal three minutes before halftime, ensuring Napoli’s progress in the competition. Palermo’s struggling performance took another downturn when their player, Aljosa Vasic, received a direct red card in the 58th minute due to a high challenge on Napoli’s Billy Gilmour.

David Neres and Scott McTominay also found the net for Napoli, with McTominay scoring his first goal for the club moments after replacing Giacomo Raspadori. Despite the decisive win, the match was marred by clashes between rival fans, resulting in a delay of seven minutes in the second half as authorities worked to restore order.

In related incidents, there have been reports of fan disturbances in other matches this week, including clashes between supporters of Genoa and Sampdoria, raising concerns over stadium safety. The altercations may force Genoa and Sampdoria to play their upcoming home games behind closed doors.

Napoli’s coach, Antonio Conte, opted for significant squad rotations ahead of Sunday’s Serie A clash with Monza. Elia Caprile replaced the injured Alex Meret in goal, while new signing Billy Gilmour was given a starting position in midfield. A switch from a back three to a back four enabled several of Conte’s first-choice players to rest.

For those looking to catch future matches, the encounter will be exclusively available to UK viewers via Premier Sports, while fans in the USA can stream it on Paramount+.