A race lived without escapes, but with a constancy unlike any other. The numbers tell of something that has never happened before. Two figures, small and silent, that become big in the history of the championship. A scudetto that breaks tradition.
Napoli, sarebbe uno scudetto da record (negativi): due numeri davvero eloquenti (AnsaFoto) – serieanews.com
Not all titles are alike. Some stick out because of the beauty of the game, some because of the strength of the group, and some because of the emotional roller coaster. Then there are those that go down in history — for slightly different reasons. And the one that Napoli is trying to take on the final day’s wire is in danger of ending up in a category of its own.
The Azzurri’s season has been anything but linear. Between pauses, stumbles, relaunches and moments of pure tactical balance, Conte’s team has clung to the top more by general inertia than by true flight. And now, as everyone prepares to discover the final verdict, a curious fact emerges. In fact, two. And they make one think more than many analyses.
Let’s pretend that everything goes according to script: Napoli wins in Cagliari, moves to 82 points, and sews the tricolor on its chest. End of the story? Nope. Because 82 points, in a 20-team league with the three points per win, are very few. They are objectively so, without the need for bold comparisons.
Just a glance at the almanacs will suffice: only two teams have won the Scudetto so narrowly in the era of 20-team 3-point leagues. Mourinho’s Inter in 2010, in a year, however, in which the forces were evenly distributed and the Champions League was the nail in the coffin. And Allegri’s Milan in 2011, which also had dominated in the league with more continuity than the numbers say. Both at 82: lowest score ever.
All the other winners have gone higher, often well above: Juve, Inter, Milan, Napoli itself, all above 83-84 at least. It is a strange league, agreed, just look at the salvation fight thriller. But 82 points is and remains a “thrilling Scudetto” quota.
Attacco muto, ma scudetto parlante: così Conte zittisce tutti
But the real short circuit comes when you look at the goals. Because this Napoli side, which could be crowned champions of Italy in a very few days, has scored just 57 goals. With one game left to play, yes, but even by racking up a full haul, it would get to what? 60? And that, in all honesty, is really surprising.
Attacco muto, ma scudetto parlante: così Conte zittisce tutti (AnsaFoto) – serieanews.com
Never had anyone won the Scudetto with such an unproductive attack. The negative record so far belonged to 2011 Milan, which stopped at 65. But since then the figures have always been different: 70, 75, 80, in some cases even 89 goals in the season. An Italian champion should overflow, at least at one stage of the tournament. This Napoli, on the other hand, has almost always marched on tiptoe. Worse than that was only Juventus 1996-97, with 51 goals. But there the league had 18 teams.
Is it a sign of a different era? Perhaps. Of a more tactical soccer? Also. But perhaps it is simply Antonio Conte’s style. One who preaches dirty work and then, when needed, pulls out the bayonet. One who does not ask his teams to spell, but to bite. There is a certain gusto in going against the unwritten rules. Napoli is doing it, almost imperceptibly. While others were stumbling, he was advancing one meter at a time. With one goal at a time. Few, often ugly, but decisive.
In the end, only the standings will count. But if someone were to one day flip through the archives to see how this season went, they might even turn their nose up at it. And ask themselves: how is it possible to win with so little? The answer, perhaps, is simple. Because sometimes it just takes being the one who falls the least. Even if they score the least.
This article Napoli, would be a record-breaking (negative) Scudetto: two really telling numbers appeared in its original version first on SerieANews.
