Napoli opened 2026 with a 2-0 win at Lazio, staying in third place as Antonio Conte's side carried over its strong finish from 2025.
Leonardo Spinazzola put Napoli ahead in the 13th minute after Matteo Politano worked space on the right and delivered a cross for the volley. Amir Rrahmani made it 2-0 in the 33rd, heading Politano's free kick into the bottom right corner.
The result kept Napoli one point behind AC Milan and two points below Inter Milan, which beat Bologna 3-1. Inter hosts Napoli next weekend.
Three red cards in the final 10 minutes
The match ended with a bad-tempered finish. Tijjani Noslin was sent off in the 81st minute after a second yellow card, before Adam Marušić and Pasquale Mazzocchi were dismissed following a scuffle that turned into a broader confrontation.
Conte moved in to separate the two sides during the brawl. The only other concern for Napoli was David Neres, who had to be helped off in the 70th minute after going down with an apparent ankle problem, adding to the club's already lengthy injury list.
Napoli had closed 2025 with a 2-0 win over Cremonese shortly after winning the Italian Super Cup.
Inter, Fiorentina and Torino also win
Lautaro Martínez scored once and set up another as Inter avenged its recent Italian Super Cup semifinals defeat to Bologna. Lautaro created the opener for Piotr Zieliński before halftime and then headed in Inter's second after the break.
Marcus Thuram added Inter's third from a corner, while Santiago Castro scored a late consolation for Bologna.
Fiorentina earned only its second win of the season, beating Cremonese 1-0 to move within three points of safety. Substitute Moise Kean, who had come on eight minutes earlier, scored in stoppage time after Emil Audero parried Niccolò Fortini's header.
Hellas Verona lost 3-0 at home to Torino, leaving Verona, Fiorentina and Pisa all on 12 points in the relegation zone. Verona has played one match fewer than Fiorentina and Pisa.