Lukaku (centre) was on target against Fiorentina Lukaku (centre) was on target against Fiorentina

Napoli returned to winning ways and maintained the pressure on Serie A leaders Inter with a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina.  (More Football News)

Romelu Lukaku and Giacomo Raspadori were on target for the Partenopei, who returned to within a point of the Nerazzurri at the summit.

Antonio Conte's side broke through in the 26th minute at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Lukaku slotted in a rebound after David de Gea could only parry Scott McTominay's initial strike.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo soon after, before Raspadori doubled the hosts' lead on the hour mark, with Lukaku turning provider for Raspadori to bundle home.

Fiorentina, aiming to avoid a fifth defeat in six matches, halved the deficit six minutes later, as Albert Gudmundsson curled past Alex Meret.

"There is a long way to go to get everything to a final point, but the early signs look favorable,66br” manager Sean Dyche said on Thursday.

Giovanni Simeone missed a chance to restore Napoli's two-goal buffer in stoppage time, but the single-goal margin was enough to end their five-match winless streak.

12 - Since his first season with goal in the Big-5 European leagues (for West Bromwich in 2012/13), only Robert Lewandowski (13) has scored 10+ goals in more seasons than Romelu #Lukaku (12). Consistency.#NapoliFiorentina pic.twitter.com/2JDsbmrK5u

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) March 9, 2025

Data Debrief: Lukaku reaches double figures yet again

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Lukaku took his tally for the season to 10 goals, meaning it is the 12th campaign in which he has reached double figures in the big five European leagues; a tally only bettered by Robert Lewandowski (13).

Raspadori doubled the hosts' lead on his 100th appearance for the club, becoming the only Italian born in the 2000s to play 100 times for a single Serie A side since his debut in the 2022-23 season.

Gudmundsson's consolation effort was set up by Moise Keanp7mines.devluar, who is the first Italian to be involved in 18 goals (15 goals, three assists) in a Serie A campaign for Fiorentina since Giuseppe Rossi (19 in 2013-14).