Insigne says goodbye with tears and goals

Lorenzo Insigne did not have the goodbye to Naples he dreamed of, despite having been very close. If the ‘partenopei’ had not failed against Fiorentina, Roma and Empoli, today they would have been one step away from a Scudetto that would have made the journey of the Neapolitan, who added three titles (two Italian Cups and one Super Cup), 432 games, 122 goals and 95 azzurro assists.

As fate would have it, as happened to Francesco Totti in 2017, the striker’s last appearance in his stadium was against Genoa, who arrived at Fuorigrotta hungry for points to continue hoping for salvation. Napoli, despite having the Champions League qualification in their pocket, showed no mercy against the ‘rossoblú’, endorsing them a 3-0 that leaves them one step away from their first relegation since 2007, when they celebrated their return to Serie A with the Neapolitans in an unforgettable match that was a collective party. Another joke of fate.

Those of Blessin risked their lives, but that was only seen in the first quarter of an hour, when Yeboah scared Maradona with a shot to the crossbar. Later, the locals took control of the match and broke it with Osimhenwho headed a Di Lorenzo cross into the net.

The second half opened with a huge opportunity for Genoa, which Portanova wasted shooting against Ospina, and with the most awaited moment of the afternoon. The referee, due to a handball from Hernani, awarded a penalty that, obviously, Insigne took… Twice. In the first, his shot hit the inside of the post and Di Lorenzo pushed the ball between the posts. The braid, however, Due to the invasion of players from both teams, he repeated the maximum penalty, which the Neapolitan materialized on the second attempt. It was goal 122 of his Azzurra adventure, which makes him the second scorer of all time, ahead of Hamsik and behind only Dries Mertens (148).

The 2-0 definitively turned off the visitors, who also conceded the third, the work of Lobotka with a personal play and a precise shot from the edge. After the final whistle, Insigne said goodbye to his people, wearing for the last time in his house the shirt and the bracelet that he wears literally drawn on his skin. read a lettertelling his ‘tifosi’ that they celebrated, suffered and also fought, a common fate for successful Neapolitans with their people, “but always together, like a big family”. He did it in tears, accompanied by his children. Toronto awaits you.