Napoli – Bologna: How Duels Decided The Supercoppa Final (2-0)

Napoli and Bologna faced off in a final that featured the two champions that Italian football had last season. What transpired was a game of duels, as both managers proposed a man-to-man aggressive defense that looked to disrupt each other’s games. And Conte’s side knew how to play this type of game. 

Tactical analysis and match report by Sebastián Parreño. 

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Man-to-man football sets the tone

To understand what happened, we first need to know the context. Napoli entered the Supercup final against Bologna with a clear idea of being aggressive on a man-to-man press. And equally, Bologna decided to have a clear willingness to embrace individual duels and go man-to-man across the pitch. Conte’s side played with a 3-4-3 shape: Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, and Juan Jesus formed the back three, with Matteo Politano and Leonardo Spinazzola operating as wing-backs. In midfield, Stanislav Lobotka and Scott McTominay provided balance and physicality, while David Neres and Eljif Elmas played as narrow attacking midfielders behind Rasmus Højlund. Bologna responded with a back four and a midfield trio, shaping into a 4-3-3 in possession and a 4-1-4-1 out of it, committing to their usual aggressive, man-oriented approach.

Bologna’s build-up under pressure

From the opening phase, the match was defined by one-on-one references rather than zonal protection. Napoli’s press was carefully matched to Bologna’s build-up structure. Bologna attempted to construct play through a 4-3-3 build-up, using Ferguson as the pivot with Odgaard and Pobega positioned higher and wider. However, Napoli’s aggressive matching meant Bologna rarely progressed cleanly through the center. Each reception was immediately contested, forcing the ball wide or backward and limiting Italiano’s team and their ability to establish a sustained possession.

Napoli matched Bologna’s build-up man-to-man, being very aggressive trying to win the ball back.

Napoli’s defensive shape and duel control

When Bologna managed to advance, Napoli retreated into a 5-4-1, with Neres and Elmas dropping into wide midfield roles and Højlund isolated up front. This allowed Napoli to maintain numerical security in the last line while preserving their man-oriented principles. The back five dealt effectively with Bologna’s attempts to overload wide areas, particularly when Orsolini tucked inside to allow Holm to push higher on the right. Bologna’s attacking patterns relied on these rotations, but they struggled to convert territorial gains into genuine danger. Napoli’s defenders were comfortable defending crosses and second balls, and Bologna failed to disrupt their structure in the first half.

Napoli’s attacking threat

Napoli knew that they were facing a team that embraced on-on-one matchups, following their assignments throughout the pitch. And since Napoli understood this, they had the mechanisms to break through the press. One of Napoli’s most effective attacking mechanisms came from Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s interpretation of his role. Rather than remaining fixed as a right center-back, he frequently detached and stepped forward like a full-back, attacking the right half-space by surprise. Although Cambiaghi was tasked with tracking him, moments of ball-watching allowed Di Lorenzo to receive in advanced positions and destabilize Bologna’s defensive references.

This movement was complemented by Napoli’s use of quick combinations. By playing one-twos and immediately attacking depth, Napoli repeatedly exploited Bologna’s fixation on the man rather than the space. Spinazzola, Neres, and McTominay all benefited from this dynamic, finding themselves attacking vacated zones when Bologna defenders momentarily lost their assignments.

Napoli’s shape in possession against Bologna’s bold man-to-man persecutions throughout the pitch. 

The first goal and the shift in momentum

The breakthrough arrived in the 38th minute and was rooted in a subtle but decisive drop in Bologna’s intensity. Rrahmani was allowed to play a long ball toward Højlund without any ball pressure, a sin when playing an agressive man-to-man defense. Lucumí was forced into a recovery tackle that resulted in a throw-in, but Bologna’s defensive organization never fully recovered from the initial action.

On the restart, David Neres was inexplicably left unmarked. Given time and space, he struck a spectacular shot that beat Ravaglia cleanly. The goal was a sign of Bologna’s fatigue and loss of concentration as it was about Napoli’s readiness to punish small mistakes. The goal marked a definite shif in momentum, as up to that moment the match was being played the way Italiano wanted.

Napoli’s go to play: Target Højlund 

Following the goal, Napoli doubled down on a clear attacking idea. They repeatedly looked for long balls toward Højlund, recognizing both his physical superiority and the growing difficulty Bologna had in dealing with him. Heggem, tasked with marking the striker one-on-one, struggled to contain him and eventually received a booking after a direct duel. This was the definitive sign for Conte’s side to look to exploit this duel.

This phase exposed Bologna’s vulnerability when forced to defend deeper and under sustained physical pressure. Despite their aggressive intent, they failed to create any meaningful danger before halftime, while Napoli looked increasingly comfortable dictating the terms of engagement.

A particularly notable detail emerged on goal kicks. Napoli arranged themselves in a 3-4-2-1, isolating Højlund high up the pitch. By exploiting the absence of offside on restarts, they deliberately dragged Bologna’s defensive line forward before immediately launching long balls into a duel between Højlund and a now-booked Heggem. This strategy was repeated consistently, both from set situations and in open play, particularly after halftime.

Halftime adjustments and Bologna’s brief resurgence

At the break, Vincenzo Italiano introduced Moro for Odgaard in an attempt to regain control. The substitution reshaped Bologna’s midfield, with Moro acting as the lone pivot and Ferguson moving into a more advanced role. This adjustment allowed Bologna to circulate the ball more effectively and enjoy longer spells of possession.

Their best chance of the night came during this period, as Ferguson attacked the box and headed straight at the goalkeeper. Despite this moment, Bologna’s improvement did not translate into a sustained situation, as Napoli remained disciplined in their defensive shape and looked to create danger through counter attacks.

Pressing traps and the decisive second goal

The second goal was a direct consequence of Napoli’s collective understanding of pressing moments. As Bologna attempted to build from the back, McTominay aggressively jumped out of midfield to close down Heggem. When the center-back opted to play the ball back to the goalkeeper, McTominay followed his run, forcing a rushed decision.

The goalkeeper’s attempted pass toward a covered Lucumí was anticipated by Neres, who intercepted cleanly, went through on goal, and finished calmly over the keeper. The sequence underlined Napoli’s ability to convert pressing intensity into immediate end product. This also marked a success for one of Antonio Conte’s ideas for the game, as their press always triggered whenever Lucumí received the ball. 

Late-game exposure and missed chances

As Bologna grew increasingly desperate, their full-backs pushed higher on the side of the ball, leaving significant space behind them. Napoli repeatedly accessed these areas on the counter, creating several clear chances. Højlund, however, was imprecise with his passing and finishing, preventing the scoreline from becoming more emphatic. Despite these missed opportunities, Napoli never lost control of the match. Their defensive structure remained intact, and Bologna lacked the clarity to mount a late response.

Takeaways

Napoli’s Supercup victory was built on their ability to thrive within an aggressive, man-to-man framework while maintaining superior tactical discipline. Their manipulation of individual references, intelligent use of long balls, and situational pressing highlighted a well-prepared game plan. Bologna’s commitment to duels kept them competitive early on, but fatigue and structural exposure eventually undermined their approach. Over ninety minutes, Napoli were clearly the better side, understanding the type of game that Bologna proposed, and knowing where the weaknesses where so they could exploit them. And with that, Antonio Conte won the 11th title of his career, and is still yet to lose a Supercoppa final he’s been a part of as both player and manager.