Historic Rivalry with Juventus FC
North against South: Napoli's rivalry with Juventus.
The Juventus–Napoli rivalry is between Turin-based Juventus and Naples-based Napoli. It grew out of the historical rivalry between Northern and Southern Italy, whose major centres include Turin and Naples, and gained attention in the 1980s when Napoli became title contenders.
Quick Facts
- Clubs
- Napoli, Juventus
- Key finals
- 2012 Coppa Italia (Napoli 2–0)
Lore & Background
Juventus won the 1985–86 title with Michel Platini, six points clear of third-placed Napoli. In 1986–87 Napoli won their first Scudetto with Diego Maradona, three points ahead of Juventus, the first Southern Italian team to win the league, and they won again in 1989–90.
Reader's Guide
After Higuaín's move, away fans were barred from travelling for the fixture, and Juventus were fined repeatedly for the chant "Vesuvius wash them with lava".
The rivalry sharpened in the 2010s: Napoli beat Juventus 2–0 in the 2012 Coppa Italia final, Alessandro Del Piero's last game for Juventus, and Juventus won every title from 2011–12 to 2016–17 with Napoli always in the top five. In 2016 Juventus signed Gonzalo Higuaín from Napoli for €90 million, and his shirts were burned in Naples. On 22 April 2018 a 90th-minute header by Kalidou Koulibaly won the game in Turin 1–0.
More in Club History & Eras
Elsewhere in Napoli
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