Napoli paid a heartfelt tribute to Diego Maradona by wearing an Argentina-style kit as they defeated Roma 4-0, hours after Lionel Messi honoured his compatriot with a personal gesture during Barcelona's 4-0 win over Osasuna.
Lorenzo Insigne opened the scoring for Napoli with a sublime free kick in the 30th minute, reminiscent of Maradona himself. He celebrated by running to collect a shirt bearing the Napoli legend's name. Insigne then set up Fabián Ruiz for the second goal at the Stadio San Paolo, which is expected to be renamed in Maradona's honour. The match began with a minute's silence, and play paused in the 10th minute for a round of applause. Dries Mertens added a third from a rebound, and Matteo Politano sealed the win with a solo effort, weaving through Roma's defence before tapping into an empty net.
At the Camp Nou, Messi capped a brilliant Barcelona display with a powerful shot into the top corner in the second half, after goals from Martin Braithwaite, Antoine Griezmann, and Philippe Coutinho had put the hosts in control. Messi then lifted his shirt to reveal a red and black replica kit of his hometown club, Newell's Old Boys, bearing the number 10 that Maradona wore during his brief spell there in 1993. Barcelona had paid tribute before kick-off with a framed, signed shirt of Maradona placed above the presidential box, and players observed a minute's silence in front of an old Barça shirt with the number 10.
“Maradona deserved an emotional tribute like that, we have lost a global idol,” said Coutinho. “Everyone in football admired him and we’ll all miss him.” Griezmann added: “We didn’t know what Messi had prepared in tribute to Maradona, it was a beautiful surprise.”
