Antonio Conte's Napoli received another blow against Atalanta

Raffaele Palladino’s side staged a thrilling comeback at the New Balance Arena, winning 2-1 to firmly re-enter the race for fourth place.

Antonio Conte’s men led at halftime thanks to Sam Beukema’s header from a Miguel Gutiérrez free-kick, following excellent work by Rasmus Hojlund. However, controversy reigned as VAR overturned a Napoli penalty and disallowed a second goal. Usual polemics from coach Conte when his team loses.

Palladino’s halftime adjustments proved decisive. Atalanta drastically increased their intensity while Napoli collapsed physically. Mario Pasalic leveled the score from a corner before Lazar Samardzic completed the turnaround. This crucial victory allows the Orobici to catch Como, intensifying the battle for Champions League spots. With the table so tight, the gap between elite competition and the Conference League is minimal, and Napoli’s second-half decline offers Conte significant cause for serious tactical concern moving forward.