2024/25 Serie A Season Review

The 2024/25 Serie A season kept followers on the edge with the league being decided on last match day. It was very intense and suspenseful with Napoli coming up good edging out their fourth title on the final matchday.

Below are some official stats to guide analysis:

Napoli, led by Antonio Conte, clinched their second title in three seasons with a 2–0 win over Cagliari on May 23, 2025, finishing with 82 points from 38 matches (24 wins, 10 draws, 4 losses). They scored 73 goals and conceded 28.

Top Four finish: Inter Milan 81 points was second to Napoli who were just one point above them to lift the league trophy, Atalanta, and Juventus secured UEFA Champions League spots. Roma and Bologna (Coppa Italia winners) earned Europa League spots, with Fiorentina qualifying for the Conference League.

Relegation battle: Empoli, Venezia, and Monza dropped to Serie B. Frosinone and Salernitana were also relegated after brief top-flight appearance.

Individual Achievements

Top Scorer: Mateo Retegui (Atalanta) led with 25 goals, showcasing his flair.

Top Assists: Romelu Lukaku (Napoli) topped the charts with 10 assists, driving Napoli’s attack.

Clean Sheets: Alex Meret (Napoli) and Mile Svilar (Roma) shared the honors with 16 clean sheets each.

Dominating Figures:

Scott McTominay (Napoli) was pivotal in midfield, complementing Lukaku’s playmaking.

Lautaro Martínez (Inter) scored 22 goals across all competitions, though he trailed Retegui in league goals.

Atalanta’s attacking prowess shone brightly with Ademola Lookman, Mateo Retegui, with 79 goals scored, second only to Napoli.

Dramatic Moments:

Napoli’s dramatic title win, decided by a single point over Inter Milan.

Inter’s 5–0 Champions League final loss to PSG, leading to Simone Inzaghi’s departure.

AC Milan embracing their disappointing season, failing to qualify for Europe and resulting in Sergio Conceicao’s eventual sacking.

Goal stats: 973 goals were scored across 380 matches, with an average of 2.56 goals per game. Inter led possession at 59.8%, while Napoli topped shots per game (16.2).

Sportsverifier - CAF Awards 2024, Ademola Lookman and the one things amiss!

On the 16th of December 2024, many sports lovers especially football fans and enthusiasts gathered at Marrakesh, Morocco to put names on a long standing yearly award ceremony.

The ceremony was put together by Confederation of African Football, CAF and was graciously attended by football heavy weights, former and active football players that also included CAF and FIFA presidents, Dr Patrice Motsepe and Gianni Infantino.

It was an entertaining event. The highlight of the event was the individuals awards with the most anticipated one, the Best player award deservedly won by Ademola Lookman. The Atalanta Winger/forward has had a stellar performance all through the year. Including his beastly performance at the Europa League finals that saw him creating and breaking records with a hattrick of spectacular goals.

I believe everyone knew he was that African who had the most standout performance throughout the year and there was no doubt about it. No disrespect of course to the other nominees who competed in the category with him.

I however have a reservation about these awards and why there also seems to be discrepancies in related categories and nominations. The most prominent for me was the Men's Goalkeeper of the year award. It was won by the South African shot stopper Ronwen Williams who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns in the South African premier league. Why I was encouraged that a player who plays for a club in Africa could be voted as the best out of Africa, I was disappointed that when the CAF FIFPRO Africa Men's XI was announced, he was not the named keeper. Onana was found inbetween the sticks and it gives me some chills of unsolved puzzles. Why?

If Ronwen is the African best goalkeeper, doesn't that make him the one to take the first line in best XI from the region. If the voters in these categories were different as some would have me believe, what data or materials were made available to (the voters) guide them in the voting process.

It is just a twist that seem inappropriate to me. In all, the players awarded deserved their wins.

The CAF 2024 award winners are listed below;

Men's Player of the Year: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/Nigeria)

Women's Player of the Year: Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride/Zambia)

Men's Goalkeeper of the Year: Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns/South Africa)

Women's Goalkeeper of the Year: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC/Nigeria)

Men's Interclub Player of the Year: Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns/South Africa)

Women's Interclub Player of the Year: Sanaa Mssoudy (AS FAR/Morocco)

Men's Young Player of the Year: Lamine Camara (AS Monaco/Senegal)

Women's Young Player of the Year: Doha El Madani (AS FAR/Morocco)

Men's Coach of the Year: Emerse Fae (Cote d’Ivoire)

Women's Coach of the Year: Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)

Men's National Team of the Year: Cote d’Ivoire

Women's National Team of the Year: Nigeria

Men's Club of the Year: Al Ahly (Egypt)

Women's Club of the Year: TP Mazembe (DR Congo)

Men’s Referee of the Year: Mutaz Ibrahim (Libya)

Women’s Referee of the Year: Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)

Men’s Assistant Referee of the Year: Elvis Guy Noupue Nguegoue (Cameroon)

Women’s Assistant Referee of the Year: Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)

Goal of the Year: Mabululu (Angola)

Ademola Injures Napoli in a three goals thriller

Ademola Lookman has once again inflicted a serious injury on the side from Naples when they went away on their league challenge against Napoli last weekend, 3rd of November.

In a symbolic pattern, the winger was rightly positioned to score the first goal of the game against Napoli when a headed ball drops perfectly on his left foot at the corner of the box. He slots in a powerful shot to go past the Napoli goalie who could not do anything to stop the talisman.

Before the end of the half by the thirty first minute, Lookman is seen following a counter attack against his team and gaining a sublime pass from Charles De Ketelaere outside of the area and moving past a Napoli player and moving another aside wades in a thunderous volley to make the score line two.

The Atalanta forward has been in a fantastic form for his side in the league and even the champions league. He was notably voted as the fourteenth best player at the just conclude Ballon d'Or award at France last couple of days. A feat that has edged his name in the annals of history in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Continuing in his fine form, the Africa Best Player award is rightly also within his reach.

The game ended three goals to nil in favour of the Atalanta side with Lookman scoring two and Retegui netting the third.

Image is google sourced and Video from Serie A YouTube page

https://www.sportsverifier.com.ng/