Napoli ended a difficult week on a positive note as they came from a goal down to beat Milan 3-1 in last night’s Serie A match at the San Paolo stadium.
Rafa Benitez’s team came into the match on the back of a difficult week which saw them suffer a 3-0 defeat at Atalanta and a few days later lost 3-2 to Roma in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-finals.
Things looked to be going wrong again when Milan took the lead after eight minutes. Adel Taarabt, who was making his debut, burst forward before hitting a curling drive that gave Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina no chance.
The home side quickly regrouped and drew level three minutes later with another spectacular strike.
Gokhan Inler hit a thumping drive that took a deflection off Nigel De Jong with the ball looping past Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati.
The hosts continued to press forward and on the stroke of half-time Lorenzo Insigne’s shot was pushed away by Abbiati and from the rebound Christian Maggio’s header came off the post.
Napoli kept pushing forward after the restart and their efforts were rewarded on 56 minutes when Inler picked Gonzalo Higuain inside the area and the Argentine striker headed the ball past Abbiati.
The home side sealed the points nine minutes from time when Jose Callejon squared the ball to Higuain who stabbed the ball past Abbiati.
Earlier yesterday, goals from Josip Ilicic and Rafal Wolski spurred Fiorentina to a 2-0 win over a spirited Atalanta, with the visitors reduced to 10 men for the last 10 minutes.
Slovenia international Ilicic curled in a free kick from a tricky angle after 16 minutes and Wolski scored a smart solo effort four minutes from time.
Atalanta were enraged by referee Marco Guida when he refused to give a spot kick in the 29th minute. Fiorentina keeper Neto came flying out of his goal just beating midfielder Maxi Moralez to the ball with a dangerous-looking karate kick challenge.
Luca Cigarini was sent off with a second yellow card in the 81st minute after a wild challenge on Matias Fernandes.
Udinese moved to a point behind Atalanta in 13th after a 3-0 victory over Chievo.
Antonio Di Natale scored his third goal in as many games nine minutes after the break, Bruno Fernandes added a second in the 74th minute and Ghana international Emmanuel Agyemang Badu hit the third with four minutes to go.
Serie A
Played yesterday
Fiorentina 2
Ilicic 16; Wolski 86;
Atalanta 0
HT: 1-0. Att: 28,319.
Red card: Cigarini (A) 81.
Napoli 3
Inler 11; Higuain 56, 81;
Milan 1
Taarabt 8;
HT: 1-1. Att: 50,000.
Udinese 3
Di Natale 56; Fernandes 74; Badu 86;
Chievo 0
HT: 0-0. Att: 13,000.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Juventus | 22 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 54 | 16 | 59 |
| Roma | 21 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 45 | 11 | 50 |
| Napoli | 23 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 47 | 27 | 47 |
| Fiorentina | 23 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 42 | 24 | 44 |
| Verona | 22 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 37 | 35 | 35 |
| Inter | 22 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 39 | 27 | 33 |
| Torino | 22 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 35 | 28 | 33 |
| Parma | 21 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 32 | 27 | 32 |
| Lazio | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 29 | 29 | 31 |
| Milan | 23 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 36 | 35 | 29 |
| Genoa | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 23 | 28 | 27 |
| Atalanta | 23 | 8 | 3 | 12 | 24 | 32 | 27 |
| Udinese | 23 | 8 | 2 | 13 | 25 | 32 | 26 |
| Sampdoria | 22 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 26 | 32 | 25 |
| Cagliari | 22 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 21 | 31 | 24 |
| Chievo | 23 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 32 | 18 |
| Bologna | 22 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 20 | 38 | 18 |
| Livorno | 22 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 22 | 40 | 17 |
| Sassuolo | 22 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 23 | 48 | 17 |
| Catania | 22 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 40 | 15 |
Today – 15.00
Inter vs Sassuolo - 20.45
Lazio vs Roma
Livorno vs Genoa
Parma vs Catania
Sampdoria vs Cagliari
Torino vs Bologna - 12.30
Verona vs Juventus
Next fixtures
Friday: 20.45 Milan vs Bologna.
Saturday: 20.45 Fiorentina vs Inter. Sunday: 12.30 Catania vs Lazio. 15.00 Atalanta vs Parma; Cagliari vs Livorno; Genoa vs Udinese; Juventus vs Chievo; Sassuolo vs Napoli. 20.45 Roma vs Sampdoria.
Monday, Feb. 17: 20.45 Verona vs Torino.
Serie B
Played yesterday
Bari 2 - Siena 1
Carpi 1 - Spezia 1
Cittadella 0 - Modena 1
Crotone 3 - Pescara 0
Juve Stabia 1 - Reggina 1
Palermo 1 - Padova 0
Ternana 1 - Avellino 1
Trapani 0 - Empoli 0
Varese 0 - Latina 0
Tomorrow – 20.30
Novara vs Brescia
Leading standings: Palermo 45; Empoli 41; Avellino 39; Cesena 38; Trapani, Lanciano 37; Crotone 36; Latina, Spezia 35; Pescara, Carpi 34.