Europa League - Group F
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Napoli v HNK Rijeka: Hosts pay tribute to Maradona at Stadio San Paolo

Fans at Stadio San Paolo
Fans gathered outside the Stadio San Paolo on Wednesday to pay their respects to Diego Maradona

Napoli paid tribute to their legendary former player Diego Maradona before their Europa League match against HNK Rijeka on Thursday.

Argentina great Maradona, who won two Serie A titles with Napoli, died on Wednesday aged 60.

The Stadio San Paolo was illuminated in Maradona's honour on Wednesday night as fans gathered to pay their respects.

Napoli owner Aurelio de Laurentiis wrote in an open letter that he wants to rename the stadium after Maradona.

The mayor of Naples, Luigi de Magistris, also backed the idea.

In an letter paying tribute to Maradona, De Laurentiis wrote: "You leave us with a great testament of what it means to be a man of fragility, strength and absolute love for life and one's neighbour.

"Your weaknesses, your imperfections, your mistakes are tantamount to your immense greatness."

A minute's silence was held before Thursday's match against Croatian side Rijeka, during which all the Napoli players wore shirts with 'Maradona 10' on the back.

Napoli won the match 2-0 and lead Group F by two points with two games to play.

Maradona was at Napoli between 1984-91 and helped them win the league title in 1987 and 1990, and the Uefa Cup in 1989.

"I believe it is right to name the San Paolo after you, so we can keep you with us as a witness of the excellent path this team has taken," De Laurentiis added.

"Thank you, Diego. You are, and will always be, with all of us."

'A vindication of Maradona' - analysis

Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague, in Naples

As soon as I walked into Naples, the first conversation I had was, of course, about Diego Maradona.

You drive up the hills to the Spanish quarter and you start to see more celebration of Maradona. Tonight, everybody who has something of Maradona will put it on balconies all over the city.

You begin to sense that what has happened is massive.

Even though the average age of people [around the stadium] is very young, I spoke to some guys who said that although they never saw him play they heard about him many times.

They talk about the Napoli side that beat the North, beat the rich man. In Napoli, you smell that it is a poor place. You see it, but you smell it as well.

Nothing prepared me for coming to the stadium. They have the sound track 'Ho visto Maradona' on, they keep chanting, there are flares, banners and flags. There is an area in front of a big flag that reads 'the king', where people have left candles and photos and all kinds of memorabilia.

There must easily be 300, 400 people. This is, at the moment, a sense of celebration that Maradona belonged to them. The sense is he hasn't died, there are people crying but it is a vindication of Maradona as one of their own and he will not be forgotten here.

Stadio San Paolo
People gathered outside the Stadio San Paolo on Wednesday night
Mourners in Naples
There are numerous murals and paintings of Maradona in Naples
Stadio San Paolo lit up
The stadium was illuminated on Wednesday following Maradona's death
A visibly upset woman sat looking at tributes to Diego Maradona outside the San Paolo stadium
Fans continued to visit the San Paolo stadium on Thursday to pay their respects before the game
Tributes left in memory of Diego Maradona outside the San Paolo stadium
More tributes were left outside the San Paolo stadium before Thursday's game
Napoli and Rijeka players observe a minute's silence in memory of Diego Maradona at the San Paolo stadium
There was an image of Diego Maradona on the video screen at the San Paolo stadium while the players warmed up and during a minute's silence
Napoli players wearing shirts with 'Maradona 10' on the back before their Europa League match with Rijeka
Before the game all the Napoli players wore shirts with 'Maradona 10' on the back

Line-ups

Napoli

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Meret
  • 22Di Lorenzo
  • 19Maksimovic
  • 26Koulibaly
  • 31Ghoulam
  • 5Bakayoko
  • 4DemmeSubstituted forLobotkaat 69'minutes
  • 21PolitanoSubstituted forLozanoat 64'minutes
  • 20ZielinskiSubstituted forInsigneat 64'minutes
  • 7ElmasSubstituted forMertensat 69'minutes
  • 37PetagnaSubstituted forRuizat 81'minutes

Substitutes

  • 6Mário Rui
  • 8Ruiz
  • 11Lozano
  • 14Mertens
  • 16Contini
  • 24Insigne
  • 25Ospina
  • 44Manolas
  • 68Lobotka

HNK Rijeka

Formation 5-4-1

  • 33Nevistic
  • 27Tomecak
  • 14Velkovski
  • 4Galovic
  • 36Smolcic
  • 23AnastasioBooked at 74minsSubstituted forBrautat 80'minutes
  • 7MuricSubstituted forYatekeat 78'minutes
  • 16Gnezda CerinSubstituted forHodzaat 87'minutes
  • 44Loncar
  • 24Štefulj
  • 19AndrijasevicSubstituted forFriganat 87'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Nwolokor
  • 2Braut
  • 11Yateke
  • 20Raspopovic
  • 53Frigan
  • 54Hodza
  • 56Putnik
  • 60Frigan
Referee:
Halis Özkahya

Match Stats

Home TeamNapoliAway TeamHNK Rijeka
Possession
Home66%
Away34%
Shots
Home23
Away12
Shots on Target
Home9
Away3
Corners
Home4
Away5
Fouls
Home10
Away13

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Napoli 2, HNK Rijeka 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Napoli 2, HNK Rijeka 0.

  3. Post update

    Offside, HNK Rijeka. Veldin Hodza tries a through ball, but Sterling Siloe Yateke is caught offside.

  4. Post update

    Attempt saved. Veldin Hodza (HNK Rijeka) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

  5. Post update

    Attempt missed. Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Fabián Ruiz with a through ball.

  6. Post update

    Corner, Napoli. Conceded by Ivan Nevistic.

  7. Post update

    Attempt saved. Stanislav Lobotka (Napoli) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Faouzi Ghoulam.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Dries Mertens (Napoli).

  9. Post update

    Darko Velkovski (HNK Rijeka) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  10. Post update

    Attempt saved. Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Dries Mertens with a through ball.

  11. Post update

    Corner, Napoli. Conceded by Nino Galovic.

  12. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Fabián Ruiz (Napoli) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Dries Mertens.

  13. Substitution

    Substitution, HNK Rijeka. Veldin Hodza replaces Adam Gnezda Cerin.

  14. Substitution

    Substitution, HNK Rijeka. Matija Frigan replaces Franko Andrijasevic.

  15. Post update

    Faouzi Ghoulam (Napoli) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Filip Braut (HNK Rijeka).

  17. Post update

    Attempt saved. Dries Mertens (Napoli) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Hirving Lozano.

  18. Post update

    Attempt saved. Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Faouzi Ghoulam.

  19. Substitution

    Substitution, Napoli. Fabián Ruiz replaces Andrea Petagna.

  20. Substitution

    Substitution, HNK Rijeka. Filip Braut replaces Armando Anastasio.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Thursday 26th November 2020

As It Stood

A

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Roma431091810
2Young Boys42116337
3CFR Cluj411238-54
4CSKA Sofia401306-61

B

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Arsenal44001221012
2Molde420248-46
3Rapid Vienna42028716
4Dundalk4004512-70

C

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Slavia Prague43018629
2B Leverkusen430114689
3Nice4103612-63
4Hapoel Be'er Sheva4103610-43

D

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Rangers42208538
2Benfica422012758
3Lech Poznan410368-23
4Standard Liege410339-63

E

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Granada431062410
2PSV Eindhoven420279-26
3PAOK Salonika41217525
4Omonia Nicosia401337-41

F

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Napoli43015239
2Real Sociedad42112117
3AZ Alkmaar42115237
4HNK Rijeka400429-70

G

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Leicester4310124810
2Sporting Braga42118807
3AEK Athens410359-43
4Zorya Luhansk410359-43

H

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Lille422010468
2AC Milan42117527
3Sparta Prague42029906
4Celtic4013513-81

I

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Villarreal4310135810
2Maccabi Tel-Aviv421146-27
3Sivasspor42029906
4FK Qarabag400439-60

J

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Royal Antwerp43015239
2Tottenham430110289
3LASK420258-36
4Ludogorets4004513-80

K

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Dinamo Zagreb42204048
2Feyenoord412145-15
3RZ Pellets WAC411256-14
4CSKA Moscow403124-23

L

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Hoffenheim44001311212
2Red Star Belgrade43019459
3Slovan Liberec4103212-103
4KAA Gent400429-70
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