Napoli’s Serie A title ambitions stayed alive on Saturday as they edged out Genoa in a thrilling 3-2 victory at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, also known as Marassi. The match, part of Round 24 of the 2025-26 Serie A season, saw Antonio Conte’s depleted squad dig deep to snatch all three points from a revitalized Genoa side under Daniele De Rossi. Both teams came into the contest with identical recent form, having collected eight points from their last five league games, but it was Napoli who ultimately found the decisive edge.
Genoa, sitting 14th in the league and eager to distance themselves from the relegation zone, started with intent. The home side, missing Benjamin Siegrist and January signing Tommaso Baldanzi through injury, fielded a 3-5-2 formation with Vitinha and Lorenzo Colombo spearheading the attack. In midfield, Ruslan Malinovskyi pulled the strings, while Mikael Egill Ellertsson got the nod over new arrival Alex Amorim for a starting role. At the back, Justin Bijlow stood between the sticks, with Marcandalli, Østigård, and Vásquez forming the defensive trio.
Napoli, meanwhile, arrived with their own selection headaches. Conte’s men were without key players Kevin De Bruyne, Billy Gilmour, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, David Neres, and captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo due to injury. Matteo Politano made the trip but was only fit enough for the bench, as were Vanja Milinkovic-Savic and Romelu Lukaku. The visitors lined up in a 3-4-2-1, with Rasmus Højlund leading the line, supported by Antonio Vergara and Eljif Elmas in attacking midfield. Amir Rrahmani returned from a muscular issue to anchor the back three alongside Buongiorno and Juan Jesus, while Lobotka and Scott McTominay marshaled the midfield.
The match began at a frenetic pace, with both sides eager to set the tone. Genoa drew first blood when Vitinha was fouled in the box by Napoli’s Alex Meret, earning the hosts a penalty. Ruslan Malinovskyi stepped up and coolly converted, firing his left-footed shot to the center of the goal and giving Genoa a 1-0 lead. Meret was shown a yellow card for the foul, and the home crowd erupted in celebration, sensing a potential upset in the making.
But Napoli, third in Serie A and trailing leaders Inter Milan by nine points at kickoff, responded with characteristic resilience. Rasmus Højlund, who has been a focal point of Conte’s attack, found the equalizer midway through the first half, slotting home a left-footed effort from the center of the box to the bottom left corner. The goal was a product of Napoli’s patient build-up and demonstrated Højlund’s poise under pressure.
Not content with parity, Napoli pressed on. Scott McTominay, deployed in a box-to-box role, put the visitors ahead with a powerful right-footed strike from outside the box that nestled into the bottom left corner. The assist came from Amir Rrahmani, marking a successful return for the center-back. The visitors entered halftime with a 2-1 lead, but the contest was far from over.
Genoa, buoyed by the home fans and De Rossi’s animated presence on the touchline, fought back in the second half. Lorenzo Colombo, who had been lively throughout, latched onto a loose ball in the box and rifled a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner to bring Genoa level at 2-2. The goal set up a nail-biting finale, with both sides creating chances and tempers occasionally flaring. Yellow cards were handed out to Leonardo Spinazzola, Juan Jesus, Alessandro Marcandalli, and Johan Vásquez as the match’s intensity ratcheted up.
As the clock ticked down, Napoli’s persistence paid off. Antonio Vergara was brought down in the penalty area by Maxwel Cornet, and after a VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot. Højlund, already on the scoresheet, stepped up with nerves of steel and dispatched the penalty with his left foot into the bottom right corner, restoring Napoli’s lead at 3-2. The Genoa faithful protested, but the decision stood, and with only minutes remaining, Napoli tightened their grip on the match.
De Rossi made a flurry of substitutions in search of a late equalizer, introducing Junior Messias, Patrizio Masini, and Caleb Ekuban. Genoa threw bodies forward, earning several corners and free kicks, but Napoli’s defense held firm. Meret, despite his early error, redeemed himself with a crucial save from Malinovskyi’s long-range effort. The final whistle sounded after four minutes of added time, confirming Napoli’s hard-fought victory.
The result sees Napoli maintain their pursuit of a second consecutive Scudetto, keeping them within striking distance of Inter Milan. They also extended their unbeaten run against Genoa to eight matches, with four wins and four draws in that span. For Genoa, the defeat was a setback in their quest to pull away from the relegation zone, but De Rossi’s side showed enough spirit and attacking intent to give hope for the remainder of the campaign.
Individually, Højlund’s brace was the standout performance, underlining why he remains such a vital asset for Conte’s side. McTominay’s contribution in midfield was equally significant, while Amir Rrahmani’s return added much-needed stability at the back. For Genoa, Malinovskyi’s creativity and Colombo’s finishing were positives, but defensive lapses ultimately proved costly.
Looking ahead, Napoli face a Coppa Italia quarter-final against Como before a crucial league clash with Roma. With injuries still plaguing the squad, Conte will be hoping for quick recoveries as the fixtures pile up. Genoa, meanwhile, must regroup and focus on their next Serie A assignment, knowing that points are essential to avoid being dragged into a relegation scrap.
Fans around the globe tuned in via DAZN in the UK and Ireland, Paramount+ in the USA, and a host of other international broadcasters. For those traveling or facing geo-restrictions, VPNs provided a handy workaround, ensuring no one missed out on a match that delivered drama from start to finish.
In the end, Napoli’s narrow win at Marassi was a testament to their resilience and quality under pressure. With the title race heating up and the fixture list unrelenting, the Partenopei’s ability to grind out results like this could prove decisive as the season heads into its final stretch.