BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
SCOTT McTOMINAY and Rasmus Højlund were the star attractions under the Tuscan sun as Napoli breezed to a comfortable 0-3 victory against hapless Pisa, officially punching their ticket back to the big time of the Champions League.
Antonio Conte’s traveling circus rolled into the Arena Garibaldi needing a win to lock down a top-four finish, and his big-name, former Premier League superstars delivered in fine, ruthless fashion.
It was Britain’s own Scott McTominay—voted Serie A’s Player of the Season last term—who got the party started. The former Manchester United engine room maestro showed exactly why he has become a god-like figure in Naples. In the 20th minute, McTominay timed a trademark late run into the box to perfection, latching onto an Eljif Elmas cross to smash a clinical volley past Adrian Šemper.
Pisa, already relegated and looking every bit like a team destined to return to Serie B, simply could not handle Napoli’s elite star power. Just six minutes after the opener, the points were virtually sealed.
Napoli’s rock at the back, Amir Rrahmani, rose highest from a corner to power home a header in the 26th minute, leaving Pisa with a mountain too steep to climb.
With the game firmly in their pocket, Conte used the second half to showcase the terrifying depth of his squad, bringing on none other than Kevin De Bruyne to control the tempo and treat the traveling Neapolitans to a masterclass in passing.
The icing on the cake arrived right at the death, courtesy of another familiar face.
Danish dynamo Rasmus Højlund put on a masterclass of forward play all afternoon, chasing down lost causes and bullying the Pisa backline. In the 90th minute, he got the goal his tireless performance richly deserved, turning his marker inside out before slotting home a predatory finish to make it 3-0.
The goal sparked wild celebrations on the Napoli bench, signaling the definitive return of I Partenopei to European football’s top table.
For Pisa, it was another miserable afternoon in a season to forget, but for Conte and his star-studded roster, the Champions League anthem awaits.
