First-half strikes from Leonardo Spinazzola and Rrahmani delivered a win for Napoli at Lazio in a fixture marred by multiple sendings-off.
The win propels Napoli to just one point behind of Serie A pace-setters AC Milan, who won on Friday. Inter occupy third place but have a chance to go back to the summit with a victory in their later match.
Despite missing a number of injured players, the southern Italian side controlled the proceedings with patient attacks. The opener came when Politano's delivery was drilled home by Spinazzola at the back post.
The lead was doubled in the 32nd minute as the defender guided a glancing header from a Politano free-kick into the net. Napoli went close to a third goal shortly after when Eljif Elmas saw his effort rattle against the woodwork.
The second half saw more worry for the away side when a player limped off. This incident sparked a brief confrontation, resulting in yellow cards for a Napoli defender and the home side's Tijjani Noslin—who then received a second yellow for a foul.
"My compliments to the lads, playing with this level of quality and physical strength while preventing the opposition have control is difficult," remarked the winning head coach. "We played at a very high level of quality."
Tensions flared again late on as players from both sides became involved in a fierce exchange, prompting the manager to intervene. The two players were sent off for their part in the clash.
Over in La Liga, the Andalusian side suffered a 3-0 defeat at home to struggling Levante. The visitors established a lead with a well-worked team goal before scoring two more goals in the second half to seal a convincing win.
In other news, Los Blancos host significant pressure when they welcome Real Betis, after their arch-rivals increased their lead at the summit. In the day's other match, Atlético Madrid make the journey to face La Real.
Turning to Ligue 1, a historic Parisian clasico is scheduled as Paris FC face powerhouses PSG. The fixture marks the inaugural top-flight meeting between the two clubs in over 36 years, bringing significant intrigue to the weekend's action.
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