Bologna was awful. There’s the 11th title in Antonio’s coaching career and the third Italian Supercup for Naples!

Napoli and Bologna battled it out for the Italian Supercup. Earlier, the teams had knocked out Milan and Inter respectively, preventing the Milan clubs from repeating last season’s final. A clash between the champion and the cup holder: what could be more logical than that pairing?

The Italian Supercup is being held in Saudi Arabia. And the final in Riyadh at Al-Awwal Park didn’t sell out. The arena holds 25,000 spectators, but empty seats were visible in the stands. Against the backdrop of the scandal with the Milan-Como match in Australia (first confirmed, then canceled due to financial risks and Asian Confederation conditions), this picture adds arguments for opponents of games outside Italy.

In 2025, Bologna and Napoli met twice. In April, the teams drew (1:1), and in November, Vincenzo Italiano’s team dismantled the champions at home – 2:0. Over the last six matches, the Neapolitans have only won once against their opponent. And in the Supercup final, neutral fans were expecting at least an even game. In vain.

From the first minutes, Napoli seized the initiative. And Bologna, suffocating their opponent, seemed like they weren’t even on the field. Did they spend all their energy on the game against Inter? In the first half, Italiano’s team didn’t create a single chance. But what’s sadder for the coach is that Bologna allowed Napoli to create dangerous approaches with high frequency.

In the 11th minute, Eljif Elmas missed the first top chance: he received the ball in the box and smashed it into the near corner – just missed. Later, Giovanni Di Lorenzo made a very dangerous cross into the goalkeeper’s area. Antonio Conte’s team relentlessly built attacks using the coach’s signature mechanisms. The goal was just a matter of time.

And in the 37th minute, Napoli missed a top moment. The Neapolitans executed a very beautiful combination: several players played one-touch, and Leonardo Spinazzola broke through to Bologna’s goal. He tried to lob Federico Ravaglia, but it came out weakly. The ball on its way into the net was stopped by Bologna midfielder Lewis Ferguson.

Couldn’t score one of the most beautiful goals of 2025? No problem – let’s set up another. Already in the 39th minute, David Neres received the ball from the sideline, shifted from the right flank closer to the center, and struck into the far corner. It was a beautiful, precise shot – 1:0! A deserved outcome for the first half.

After the break, there was hope that Bologna would reboot and bring intrigue back to the final. However, Napoli had no plans to let go of their first Italian Supercup since 2014. At the start of the second half, the Neapolitans flew forward to score more. Bologna’s goalkeeper Ravaglia saved his team several times: especially impressive was the save after Amir Rrahmani’s header under the crossbar.

In the 56th minute, Italiano’s team created their first dangerous chance. Riccardo Orsolini crossed to Ferguson, and the Scot struck straight at Vanja Milinković-Savić. And right away, Bologna conceded a second goal in response. The unstoppable Neres pressed in the opponent’s box against John Lucumí, quickly closed in on the goal, and technically lobbed Ravaglia. This “giveaway” knocked a few million off the Bologna defender’s price tag. Meanwhile, Napoli has a new star emerging! Neres scored against Milan in the previous match, and now he bagged a brace in the final.

At 2:0, the Neapolitans weren’t shy about giving possession to their opponent. Bologna isn’t as good at positional attacks as they are at quick counters. We saw another confirmation of that thesis in the final. Italiano’s team didn’t create major problems for Napoli’s goalkeeper and defense.

Rather, the Neapolitans were closer to a third goal. Or even a fourth. For example, in the 78th minute, Scott McTominay reminded everyone of himself: the midfielder attempted a scissor kick from the box but missed the near corner. Although in November, in the Scotland-Denmark match, that trick worked for him. There were also a couple of chances for Rasmus Højlund, on loan from Manchester United: first, he shot wide from a good position, and later he got greedy and didn’t pass to an open teammate.

Matteo Politano could have made it a rout too. It was easier for the winger to score than to miss. He broke through on a pass from Miguel Gutiérrez, and only empty nets were ahead of him. But the ball treacherously flew over the bar from his foot. The Neapolitans seemed like they didn’t want to humiliate Bologna, missing a huge number of chances.

Napoli claimed their third Italian Supercup in history. And Conte took his 11th trophy in his coaching career. For now, the romantic period between the team and the coach continues. If Conte (as he loves to do) doesn’t fall out with the management/players, then the Neapolitans in their current form are capable of aiming for a second consecutive Serie A title. Bologna, on the other hand, frankly didn’t show up for the Supercup final, offering no real resistance to Napoli.