ROME (AFP) - Napoli will have to wait a little longer to seal their first Serie A title in 33 years after being held to a 1-1 draw by Salernitana on Sunday.
Runaway league leaders Napoli needed to win to secure their third league crown with six games remaining in the season after Inter Milan beat closest challengers Lazio 3-1 earlier in the day.
And Naples thought a generation of frustration was set to come to an end when Mathias Olivera headed the hosts into the lead just after the hour mark.
But the long-awaited Scudetto party will have to be put on hold for at least a few more days after Boulaye Dia’s stunning strike six minutes from time ensured Salernitana escaped with a point.
“The players are obviously disappointed at not having made our brilliant fans happy tonight. But you’ve seen for a while that these points are the hardest ones to get,” coach Luciano Spalletti told DAZN.
The coming midweek round of matches could finally end Napoli’s long wait for glory.
Spalletti’s team are 18 points ahead of Lazio, who stay second thanks to third-placed Juventus drawing 1-1 at Bologna and officially dropping out of title contention, 19 points off the pace.
Napoli will win the league on Wednesday if Lazio fail to beat Sassuolo, who beat Empoli 2-1 on Sunday with a Domenico Berardi brace.
Regardless Napoli’s current stars now only need a single point to emulate Diego Maradona, who led southern Italy’s biggest club to their only previous league titles in 1987 and 1990.
Pushed by a feverish crowd, decked out in blue and white, Napoli started on the front foot and almost went ahead seconds after kick-off when Victor Osimhen headed Hirving Lozano’s cross just wide.