Scott McTominay helps put Napoli one step closer to historic Serie A title as Billy Gilmour plays cameo role
And Scotland hero Scott McTominay was once again at the heart of the action.
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The former Manchester United midfielder has been a revelation in Serie A since his move from Old Trafford to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona for £25m in the summer.
He broke a 63-year-old record last weekend by scoring his 11th and 12th goals from Napoli in a defeat of Torino, the most for a Scot in a single season in Italy since the King himself, Denis Law.
The 28-year-old has truly endeared himself to the Naples faithful, earning himself a new nickname and becoming so popular that fans have gotten tattoos in his honour.
McTominay played the full 90 minutes in this evening's win over Lecce, as Napoli came out on top 1-0 at the Stadio Via del Mare.
It was a nervier night than Antonio Conte perhaps expected, with Giacomo Raspadori's 23rd minute goal the only one of the contest.
The away side were in control for most of the match but couldn't find that elusive second goal and there were hearts in the mouths when a late cross almost crept in at the back post for the hosts.
McTominay's fellow Scotland international, Billy Gilmour, came on as a sub in the second half after nine minutes and helped to see out the game.
The result puts Napoli six points clear of Inter Milan, who were the previous favourites for the title.
But they've stumbled of late and Simone Inzaghi's side have the small matter of a winner-takes-all Champions League semi-final against Barcelona to come soon too.
Inter are still to play this weekend as they take on Verona at the San Siro.
Victory for the Nerazzurri would reduce the deficit to three points with three games to go in the title race.
Napoli fan gets incredible Scott McTominay tattoo with permanent nod to Scotland hero's bizarre new nickname
If Napoli do go on to win the Scudetto, it would repeat the feat they achieved in the Maradona era, when the club claimed two titles within three years.
Conte had been speaking about McTominay's spectacular form since arriving in Italy prior to today's match.
He said: "He feels more complete and knowledgeable and he's reaching a key stage in his career where he needs to decide his direction. He never had a primary role at Man United, while here we gave him one.
"He's worked hard and now he's a complete player. His improvement has been shared by the whole team. Otherwise, it would be hard to explain how we've earned 74 points."
Conte also said: "We know it would be exceptional (if we won Serie A), but we haven't done anything yet. I know football well and we need to remain focused.
"I've won a few Scudetti and right now we're trying to do something unimaginable, incredible, something that could definitely bring huge excitement to the club and the city."
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Daily Record
27 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Rangers battered as the boo sea of Ibrox empties on Russell Martin and his Brugge flops
Punters seriously questioning whether Martin really is the man to take their club forward Russell Martin's mum might have to check on her boy again. Last week, he called to reassure her that he was OK in the Rangers manager's job. That might not be the case now. In fact, at one stage here it looked like the Ibrox gaffer might have to get The Samaritans on the phone. Because this chastening Champions League experience against Club Brugge was anything but OK. Certainly, the first 45 minutes was a million miles away from the kind of European performance Rangers fans have come to expect. And it left punters seriously questioning whether Martin really is the man to take their club forward. His team were 3-0 down to the Belgian champs after just 20 MINUTES - when calamitous defending led to goals from Romeo Vermant, Jorne Spileers and Brandon Mechele. Danilo pulled one back shortly after half-time for Rangers but the damage had already been done. For Brugge's first, it was a shocking mix-up between Jack Butland and his centre-back Nasser Djiga. And that set the tone for Rangers early on. Spileers was free at a corner to make it two, before Mechele pounced on a poor clearance to rifle home a third. Danilo's strike offered a glimmer of hope, as did a VAR-disallowed Djeidi Gassama goal, but Gers couldn't mount a comeback. The display from Martin's side led to vitriol in the stands as they were booed off at the end. And despite a better showing after the break their Champions League hopes are now hanging by a threat. Here's 5 talking points from Ibrox. Can't hide faults A flurry of urgency and enthusiasm in the second half here won't mask how poor Rangers were in the first. Nor will it dampen the criticism on Martin and his players. Their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League group phase look all but dead after a disastrous first-leg defeat. But a Europa League berth might be a blessing in the long-term because this Rangers team simply aren't ready for Europe's top competition. We all know Martin's side is a work in progress. And early on here, Brugge were a level above as they ripped them apart. Martin is under pressure anyway, that comes with the job. And a defeat in this play-off tie won't necessarily pile on more. However, if his team don't up their game at St Mirren on Sunday then in the Old Firm against Celtic a week later - the flak will fly. Fans weren't in favour of his appointment and so far they're unconvinced with his style of play. In the first 45 here, supporters were apoplectic with rage after going 3-0 down. Djeidi Gassama's superb performance offered a bit of hope going forward. But the next 11 days are huge for the under-fire Rangers boss. Tough start It was always going to be a baptism of fire for Rangers new boy Jayden Meghoma when Martin decided to throw him in at the Champions League deep end. But the Brentford kid couldn't have envisaged how his Euro bow would pan out. Meghoma's first few touches were good and - going forward - he looked confident. He even grabbed an assist for Danilo with a terrific cross as Gers threatened an unlikely comeback. But when Brugge were running all over Rangers in the first-half, the left-back endured a torrid time going the other way. Winger Carlos Forbs fancied his chances of getting in behind Meghoma at every opportunity. In the Rangers man's defence, he wasn't exactly helped out by team-mates around him. You had to feel for Meghoma. Before tonight, the biggest game of his career would have been a Carabao Cup tie for Southampton or a Championship game on loan at Preston. The youngster certainly didn't disgrace himself on his debut - even if his Ibrox career got off to the worst possible start. Dodgy stuff The style of football you want to play is irrelevant if you can't defend properly. And right now under Martin, Rangers are an absolute shambles at the back. There was comic book stuff against Alloa in the Premier Sports Cup at the weekend when they conceded two goals. This was a step up in class against Brugge but defensively, Gers were just as poor. All three of Brugge's goals in the first 20 minutes were preventable. It was a defensive horror show, initiated by the mix-up between Djiga and Butland for the visitors' first. Neither player took responsibility and it proved costly. For the second, Spileers had the freedom of Ibrox from a corner as Rangers were static in their zonal marking. And when Mechele made it 3-0 with a stunning finish - it came after a poor Joe Rothwell clearance and Danilo getting caught sleeping. A catalogue of defensive mistakes sealed Rangers' fate in the tie before half-time. Bomb squad James Tavernier has been bombed out of the Rangers side a few times now. But not for a game as big as this. And you have to wonder if it's a sign of Martin gradually phasing the skipper out of a new-look team. With young left-back Meghoma just in the door at Ibrox - and Jefte on the way out - most fans expected Tavernier to start in his usual berth, with Max Aarons shifting to the left. But with Meghoma thrown in for a debut and Aarons one of Martin's key signings, there was no place for the captain on a huge European night. A penny for Tavernier's thoughts as he watched Martin's men go three-down after 20 minutes. He's been an incredible servant to Rangers for a decade and only a fool would write off the 33-year-old just yet. But if Martin thinks he's the man to steer the club into a bright new era - Tavernier's omission on a Champions League night might be the clearest sign yet of his plans for the future. In-form Brugge If there's a shred of consolation for Rangers it's that they lost to a very good, polished European outfit. Club Brugge didn't have to play at their best here - largely due to the home side's mistakes - but they were still far too good for Martin's men. Nicky Hayen's team were in Glasgow last November and performed superbly against Celtic in the Champions League. How they only left Parkhead with a 1-1 draw is anyone's guess. But they were ruthless at Ibrox. Brugge skipper Hans Vanaken hardly broke sweat in midfield as he ran most of the game. Rangers' players couldn't get near the Belgian international. On the right flank, Portuguese wide man Carlos Forbs caused trouble, while Greek ace Christos Tzolis - who is a £20 million target for Crystal Palace - was a constant threat. They're a top European side who will deserve their Champions League spot if they finish the job in Brugge next week.
Scottish Sun
27 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Rangers 1 Club Brugge 3 – Martin will need motherly love after shambolic collapse leaves Champions League dream on brink
MOTHER OF ALL DOINGS Rangers 1 Club Brugge 3 – Martin will need motherly love after shambolic collapse leaves Champions League dream on brink DEAR Kerry, make sure you give your boy Russell another quick call. He'll need some motherly love after this defeat which has left him fearing Champions League heartache. 4 It was a horror result for Russell Martin Credit: Getty 4 It was a night to forget for Rangers Credit: Getty 4 Danilo got a goal back for Rangers Credit: Reuters 4 Club Brugge have taken control of the tie Credit: Reuters Rangers boss Martin revealed on the eve of this sobering play-off, first leg that even his mum had become concerned with the level of flak being aimed at him on social media. The growing pressure following a far from convincing start to his Gers era. He assured her he was just fine. That he was loving the job. Well, after this loss from the superbly slick and ruthless Belgian outfit and some ferocious in-match fan reaction, his beloved mum will anxiously want to hear him say it again. To say Rangers were a catastrophic shambles after just 20 minutes would be an understatement. Romeo Vermant, three minutes, Jorne Spileers, seven minutes, and Brandon Mechele, 20 minutes, had already put the class-apart visitors three ahead - and many raging Bears immediately streamed out of the stadium. And their disgust was absolutely understandable after a shocking opening from their team. It looked to be a tie rapidly OVER. Danilo netted early second half as Rangers improved - they had to - and they will cling to this for hope for the return leg. But even despite some remarkable Euro results for the Gers in recent years, surely the Belgians won't blow this at their Jan Breydel Stadium next Wednesday. Inside Rangers-themed barbers Club Brugge were big favourites going into it and they emphatically showed why in a dazzling first half which left shell-shocked Rangers needing smelling salts at half-time. It could easily have been more for the Belgians who, mercifully for their hosts, dropped a level second half. Martin didn't mess about with his team selection - startlingly putting 19-year-old rookie loan capture Jayden Meghoma straight in while also keeping hugely experienced Euro skipper James Tavernier on the bench. It was a massive call, the most eye-catching of seven changes from the win over Alloa. Brentford starlet Meghoma had only been registered the night before. Last serious game? April 21, 58 minutes from the start for loan club Preston at Hull. Twenty two senior games in his fledgling career. Never played in Euro, yet here he was pitched straight into a huge Champions League play-off with £40 million at stake. However, what was key was the faith of Martin who coached him at Southampton. And, you know what, the kid with an assist didn't let anyone down for his 70 minutes…unlike some of his far more senior team-mates in a desperately poor first half. Europa League finalist Tavernier, meanwhile, had featured from the start in the previous round in Plzen and is comfortably the most experienced player in boss Martin's squad. But he still wasn't being trusted for this. He was even on the bench for the Wasps visit and Max Aarons got the right-back slot. Back in were Jack Butland, John Souttar, Mohamed Diomande, Oliver Antman, Djeidi Gassama and Nico Raskin. Club Brugge came to town motivated to get this time what they didn't, and should've, against Celtic at Parkhead in the competition league phase nine months ago…a victory. Seven players from that Paradise evening featured in Govan. Anyone who saw Nicky Hayen's men against the Hoops absolutely fancied them to crush the Light Blues. After just three minutes they were totally gifted an opener - with Nasser Djiga and Jack Butland blaming each other. A straightforward Christos Tzolis through ball looked trouble free for loan man Djiga. He turned waiting for his keeper to come…only for Butland, after initially appearing to dart out, deciding to back-track. By now Djiga had made the incredible decision to just stop, Vermant dashed in and promptly chipped Butland from 35-yards with effortless class. That sparked fury from the stands, but matters would only get worse. Club Brugge made it 2-0 just a few minutes later - a Tzolis corner appearing to be flicked on and leaving an unmarked Spileers, just 10 yards out, with the opportunity to shoot past Butland with the aid of a slight deflection. It was an incredible start for the Belgians, a complete nightmare for Rangers - with Martin and his players slaughtered by supporters. Then it became 3-0 - Mechele storming towards the box to take control of the ball, brushing aside a Ger, before blasting a stunning right shot home from 22-yards. Deafening jeers told the story of what the irate Follow-Followers were making of it all. A Joe Rothwell free-kick narrowly wide after 26 minutes was the first positive moment for Gers. Then Gassama fired past the far post. But Butland had to save brilliantly from Carlos Forbs, then right on half time Aarons was caught sleeping by Tzolis who shot wide of the far post. Loudly booed off, the Light Blues HAD to show more. And a three-yard strike from Danilo - previously anonymous - from an excellent Meghoma drilled cross in the 50th minute provided a masive lift. Suddenly, Club Brugge had a bit of pressure to deal with. Butland, though, was still needed to prevent more pain at the other end. Eleven minutes from normal time Gassama thought he'd made it 3-2 after some byeline trickery and real determination before eventually forcing the ball home inside the six-yard box to keeper Simon Mignolet's anger. But VAR official Willy Delajod called ref Francois Letexier to the monitor - and it was soon ruled out with Mignolet adjudged to have had the ball in his grasp. Rangers pushed hard in the closing stages, at least showing some spirit and Mignolet saved from sub Hamza Igamane. But, ultimately, it was a hard, hard night for boss Martin who had to listen to his team being booed at full-time. Over to you Kerry. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
STV News
27 minutes ago
- STV News
Rangers suffer home defeat in first leg of Champions League play-off
Rangers have a mountain to climb in Belgium if they want to reach the Champions League after suffering a home defeat in the first leg of their play-off tie. Club Brugge ran out 3-1 winners at Ibrox on Tuesday night to put themselves in the driving seat in the journey towards the continent's top competition. The result followed a nightmare first half for the home side at Ibrox, who found themselves 3-0 down going into break. At one stage it looked as though they were potentially facing a really humiliating night as the Belgians seemed to be ripping them open at will. But after regrouping at half-time they got one back through Danilo that gives a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Rangers went into the game with an expectant crowd behind them, and they would have been looking for a good result to take over to Belgium, which would give them a chance of qualifying for the Champions League proper for the first time since 2021. But it was Brugge who made a blistering start and found themselves two goals up within the first seven minutes through goals from Romeo Vermant and Jorne Spileers. And things went from bad to worse for Rangers when Brandon Mechele added a third just halfway through the first 45. With just 20 minutes on the clock, it already looked as though Russell Martin's Champions League hopes were hanging by a thread as some supporters started heading for the exits. However, they were thrown a lifeline early in the second half when Danilo struck from close range. New signing Jayden Meghoma, who had been one bright spark in the first half, registered an assist on his debut when he burst up the left-hand side before crossing for the Brazilian forward to make it 3-1. Djeidi Gassama looked like he set up a blockbuster last ten minutes when he had the ball in the net on the 79th minute. But after a VAR check, it was found that the Brugge goalkeeper had both hands on the ball before the French winger kicked it into the net, and the goal was ruled out. It ended 3-1, and Rangers will travel to Belgium with their Champions League chances hanging by a thread. The second leg will be played in Brugges next Wednesday. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
