Matteo Politano’s third goal of the season gave Napoli all the three points in their 1-0 win at Real Sociedad in the Europa League on Thursday night.
The Inter loanee’s second half shot, which deflected in off centre back Modibo Sagnan turned out to be the only goal of the tie and saw the Partenopei bounce back from their shock home defeat to AZ Alkmaar last week.
The 27-year-old has become something of a good luck charm for the Azzurri, as every time he scores, Napoli win the game. His first goal saw the Neapolitans beat Udinese in July, his second, Lazio in August. Goals also came against Genoa and Atalanta this season as Napoli ran rampant in those two fixtures.
Politano arrived at the San Paolo last January on an initial 18-month loan deal with an obligation to buy after being frozen out at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza by Nerazzurri Coach Antonio Conte.
Napoli had attempted to sign the winger from Sassuolo in the 2018 winter window, but no deal was made. However, amid the transfer rumours that January, an unlikely spokesman in the shape of Juventus’s ex Chief Executive Officer Beppe Marotta claimed that the Neroverdi did not need to sell at the time.
Marotta’s remarks to the press lead some to believe that the player’s destination had already been arranged for the summer and that the Azzurri would miss out on his signature.
Politano then arrived at Inter in July 2018 and was the most used outfield player under coach Luciano Spalletti that season, scoring six goals and providing six assists in all competitions.
When Conte replace Spalletti in May 2019 the former Roma youth found himself pushed out of the line-up, starting just once in a win over Udinese in September.
Napoli pounced for the unsettled player in the winter and his new coach, Gennaro Gattuso, put his trust in him, replacing stalwart Jose Callejon on the right wing.
It may have taken 16 matches before Politano scored his first goal for his new side, which came in a 2-1 home win over Udinese, but he now has five in his last 11 and is looking a much more confident player.
