[Sport] Napoli Italy Cup champion 2020: relive incidents and penalty shoot-out that crowned Gattuso's team

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Napoli was proclaimed champion of the 2020 Italian Cup for the sixth time in its history after beating Juventus on penalties (4-2 after a 0-0 draw), this Wednesday at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, three days from expected return of Serie A.

The initial failures of the Argentine Paulo Dybala, whose shot was stopped by Alex Meret, and the Brazilian Danilo, who sent a high, were decisive for the fall of Juventus, who could not extend their advantage at the head of the tournament's record and remain with thirteen titles. in the same.

Leonardo Bonucci and Aaron Ramsey did succeed in the following Juventus pitches, but their team ended up defeated in the shoot-out as Napoli did not miss any of the shots they had available, with Lorenzo Insigne, Matteo Politano, Nikola Maksimovic and Arkadiusz Milik scoring in each of his attempts against veteran Gianluigi Buffon.

Gennaro Gattuso, who came on the team bench in December to replace Carlo Ancelotti after a tumultuous start to the course in San Paolo, thus celebrates his first major coaching title, in a tournament he had already conquered as a player with Milan in 2003.

Napoli have six 'Coppas' from Italy and were able to raise it six years after the last time, when it was led by the Spanish Rafael Benítez.

In contrast, Cristiano Ronaldo will have to continue without pointing this title to his impressive record. Nor could he achieve it last season, his first in the Turin team, since the team then fell in the quarterfinals, in an edition that Lazio had won.

 

Juventus will now have to focus their efforts on Serie A, which returns on Saturday and where Maurizio Sarri's pupils are leaders but with just one point margin over the second, Lazio, with twelve days to go before the end of the tournament , reason why the fight by the 'Scudetto' appears exciting.

Napoli, sixth in the Italian league at the time of the pause due to the new coronavirus pandemic in March, now has before it the mission of finishing in the ‘Top 4’ to qualify for the next Champions League.

It will be a particular match for Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri, who will face the city team where he was born, who he coached for three seasons before signing in 2018 for Chelsea and, the following year, for the Turin team.

 

 

He always expressed his deep respect for Napoli, although part of the fans called him a "traitor" when he accepted the proposal of the historic rival Juventus, and will seek this Wednesday to conquer his first Italian title as coach.

It is a date with history also for Neapolitan coach Gennaro Gattuso, who already lost a cup final against Juventus in 2017, when he was training for Milan, and who wants to take his revenge on Wednesday, to give new impetus to a season until now gray for your team.

Juventus will confirm veteran Gianluigi Buffon, 42, in goal, with Leonardo Bonucci, Dutchman Matthijs De Ligt, and Brazilian wingers Danilo Luiz Da Silva and Álex Sandro in defense. Uruguayan Rodrigo Bentancur will start, while Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala and Douglas Costa will form the offensive trident.

In Napoli, the Colombian David Ospina will not be there due to the accumulation of yellow cards, and on the other hand, everything indicates that the Spanish Fabián Ruiz, who is looking for the first club trophy of his career, will start in midfield, after of being a substitute because of a little muscle discomfort in the semifinal against Inter.

Juventus vs. Napoli: probable alignments

Juventus: Buffon; Danilo, Bonucci, De Ligt, Álex Sandro; Bentancur, Pjanic, Matuidi; Douglas Costa, Dybala, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Napoli: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Maksimovic, Koulibaly, Mario Rui; Fabián, Demme, Zielinski; Insigne, Mertens, Alley.