Atalanta v Napoli: the brain-teaser

Third consecutive Serie A match in a week for the Nerazzurri, ready to dive headfirst into another high-octane challenge before turning their attention back to the Champions League. For the MD21, Napoli roll into Bergamo for an electrifying Saturday night: the stakes couldn’t be higher for the rematch of last November’s Maradona showdown! Brace yourselves for yet another scramble to the top with our pre-match quiz.

What do Cominelli, Bassetto, Nielsen, and Zapata have in common?

Cominelli, Bassetto, Nielsen and Zapata: these four former Atalanta players, hailing from different decades, share a unique feat (apart from, of course, having donned the Nerazzurri jersey). Can you guess what it is?

Had you answered that they are the only players to have scored at least one brace against Napoli, not only would the list of candidates be much longer (missing names like Bonomi, Fabbri, Peretti, Sorensen, Denis, and more recently, Lookman); but foremost only Bassetto (who scored a hat-trick in Naples on the 1952/53 Serie A MD3) would be the only responding candidate to meet this criterion.

Similarly, the criteria of "scoring against Napoli in two consecutive seasons" and "scoring in consecutive home games against Napoli" would have opened the door to even more contenders. Yet, only Bassetto and Zapata would have been the only "suspects" to fit one profile each: as for the former option, Bassetto found the net in the 1956/57 season and the following one, while Zapata hit the mark in the two back-to-back home clashes of the 2020/21 campaign (namely, in the 4-2 Serie MD23 walkover and in the 3-1 win of the Coppa Italia semifinal return leg).

So, what's the real connection? These four are the only Atalanta players to have scored in both the home and away matches against Napoli in the same season. Here's the rundown in chronological order:

1) Severino Cominelli

• 1940/41 Serie A, Matchday 13: Napoli 4-1 Atalanta;
• 1940/41 Serie A, Matchday 28: Atalanta 4-0 Napoli

2) Adriano Bassetto

• 1953/54 Serie A, Matchday 3: Napoli 6-3 Atalanta
• 1953/54 Serie A, Matchday 20: Atalanta 1-1 Napoli

3) Flemming Nielsen

• 1962/63 Serie A, Matchday 17: Napoli 2-1 Atalanta
• 1962/63 Serie A, Matchday 34: Atalanta 2-1 Napoli

4) Duvan Zapata

• 2018/19 Serie A, Matchday 14: Atalanta 1-2 Napoli
• 2018/19 Serie A, Matchday 33: Napoli 1-2 Atalanta

Atalanta-Napoli 5-1, which was Ferreira Pinto's scoring contribution?

Standing as our second most resounding victory over Napoli up to date alongside the 1940/41 5-1 landslide and a 4-0 from the 1941/42 season, the 5-1 walkover in the 2007/08 Serie A MD14 saw the winger Ferreira Pinto deservedly hog the spotlight as the standout performer of the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia show thanks to his overall “goal contribution” of 3 goals with with two assists and one of his own.

The Brazilian wasted no time making an impact just 5 minutes in: pouncing on a rebound from a deflected corner kick, which was won by Pinto in the previous play, the Carioca set up a free Floccari for the opening goal. Atalanta doubled their lead in the 20th minute through Langella, and 15 minutes later, Pinto was at it again, providing his second assist of the day, to Doni this time, to top off a brilliant solo run: after leaving his marker with a quick double dribbling, Ferreira laid a daisycutter pass off to the Roman striker, who converted at leisure with a right-footed strike.

In the second half, Atalanta picked up where they left off and dealt the poker of goals 120 odd seconds into the restart through Carrozieri, who scored from close range on a Tissone assist following a corner-kick situation. While Napoli pulled one back with a stunning strike from substitute Sosa in the 60th minute, Ferreira Pinto delivered the coup de grace in the 73rd: after a mis-hit clearance from Iezzo was seized upon by Floccari, who laid it off to Doni, Atalanta's 72 sent Pinto through, with the black-and-blue 72 slotting the ball home in the mano-a-mano to score Atalanta’s fifth goal and complete his goal and assist double.

2012/13 Serie A, Atalanta 1-0 Napoli: Who scored the match winner?

As part of the 2012/13 Serie A MD10 Colantuno's Atalanta welcomed Mazzarri's Napoli to the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium for a Halloween night clash.

Kicking off with an early scare for the hosts, the visitors threatened first on 4 minutes with Dossena attempting a scissor kick in the heart of the black-and-blue box. Just two minutes later, Atalanta leveraged on the Moralez-Denis axis to return in kind: Denis crossed the ball to Moralez, who headed just wide. While Insigne volleyed a shot that was deflected out for a corner by a crucial save from Consigli in the 16th minute, Colantuono's men got the jump two minutes later: Cazzola crossed from the right for Denis, who flicked the ball toward…, who scored with a powerful right-footed shot that beat De Sanctis. Although Napoli didn’t let up and tested Atalanta’s defence with Hamsik, the hosts almost doubled their lead in the 35th minute when Denis found Brivio with a pinpoint pass, but the fullback couldn’t quite find the mark.

While the first half closed with Napoli unable to break through Atalanta's defence, the visitors came out strong in the second half almost equalized in the 52nd minute as Insigne sent his sliding effort after a cross from Maggio wide. On 56 minutes, Consigli sprung back into action to deny Hamsik, on the finishing end of a well-constructed choral play for the occasion. After more pressure from Napoli, Atalanta responded in the 60th minute through Moralez, whose go from distance after a solo effort went just wide. Insigne had another chance in the 65th minute, but his curling shot was smothered by the Atalanta keeper at the second attempt. Whereas Denis had another go on a Moralez assist in the 80th minute, the game ended without further drama.

And now for the million-dollar question: who scored the match-winner? It was Carlos Carmona, who, in a twist of fate, bagged his very first Serie A goal against Napoli in the previous season’s away match.