Napoli fans already celebrating in anticipation of title

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Christian Pulisic of the United States is helped by team doctors after he scoring his side's opening goal during the World Cup group B soccer match between Iran and the United States at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

NAPLES, Italy (AP) — Napoli fans are already celebrating in anticipation of sealing the club’s first Italian league title since the days when Diego Maradona played for the club.

Hours before Napoli’s match against Salernitana later Sunday, fans waved flags in Italy’s green, white and red colors that featured a “3” on them to signify what would be the team’s third Serie A championship after Maradona led the Partenopei to their first two titles in 1987 and 1990.

Napoli needs to hope that second-place Lazio doesn’t win at Inter Milan in an earlier match and then it needs to beat Salernitana to clinch with six rounds to spare.

Napoli entered the day with a 17-point advantage over Lazio.

Napoli Mayor Gaetano Manfredi told The Associated Press in a recent interview that there will be “a big earthquake of joy” when Napoli seals the title.

Napoli’s game against Salernitana at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona was moved from Saturday to Sunday following requests from local authorities in order to maintain public order.

The Napoli-Salernitana game is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. (1300 GMT).

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