End of Season Review: Napoli's Report Card From the 2017/18 Campaign

As Napoli finished off their season with a home win over Crotone, they will have mixed emotions when reflecting on their performances. Despite ending the season empty handed, Napoli still have a lot to be proud of.

However, this summer will be full of uncertainties on all levels. Napoli have lots of decisions and choices to make, and they need to reflect on their current situation, and figure out how to progress.

It's time to take a look at Napoli's 2017/18 report card.

1. League Performance

Napoli have been improving year after year, and they are still to reach their full potential. This season saw Napoli earn a club-record 91 points, guiding them to a second place finish in the Serie A, behind Juventus, who continue their dominance in Italian football.

Despite this club record, Napoli will be frustrated at how the season evolved. After their 27th game of the season, Napoli were top of the league, and had been for all but 5 weeks. They found themselves unable to maintain their blistering form however, and 4 draws and a defeat in their final 10 games saw them drop to second. 

Despite their 1-0 win over Juventus in late April, Napoli had left themselves too much to do, and were unable to catch Juventus. 

Regardless of their disappointing end to the season, Napoli can look back with pride, as they have proven to Italy (and the world) that Juventus can be caught.

2. Domestic Cup Performance

Entering the Coppa Italia in the Round of 16, Napoli defeated Udinese 1-0, before they were unceremoniously dumped out of the competition by Atalanta, losing 2-1 at home. Manager Maurizio Sarri opted to rest key players, such as Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne, and paid the price. 

The Coppa Italia eventually turned into 'the Juventus Show' once again, and Napoli will have undoubtedly been frustrated to watch another trophy return to Turin.

Napoli last won the competition in the 2013/14 season and, while success in the Serie A will always be the most important thing, the club will be hoping to learn from their mistake this season, to ensure they are competing for as many pieces of silverware as possible next year.

3. Continental Cup Performance

Napoli's third place finish in the 2016/17 season earned them the right to compete in the UEFA Champions League once again. Drawn in a group alongside Manchester City, Shakhtar Donetsk and Feyenoord, I Partenopei will have been optimistic of their chances of progressing into the next round.

The match round one loss to the Ukrainians, however, set the tone for their entire Champions League campaign. Two losses against Manchester City, followed by a final day loss to Feyenoord, relegated Napoli to the Europa League. Drawn against RB Leipzig, Napoli fell 3-1 at home in the first leg, meaning their 2-0 victory in the second leg was not enough to counter RB Leipzig's away goal advantage, and the Italians were eliminated from their second continental competition of the season.

While Napoli would have been hoping for Champions League success, being forced to compete in the Europa League should have left them with the chance to seriously compete for a European trophy, but they fell at the first hurdle. 

It was not a European campaign to remember for Napoli.

4. Best Player

Picking a best player out of this Napoli side is incredibly tough. Cup form aside, Napoli were setting the pace in Serie A for the majority of the season, and they could not have done that without an explicit team effort.

Having said that, Lorenzo Insigne deserves the plaudits this season. In the Serie A, Insigne registered eight goals and nine assists, but he created 90 chances throughout the season. Insigne wreaked havoc against opposition defences all season, allowing others to reach high standards also.

Honourable mentions go to Kalidou Koulibaly and Marek Hamsik, who were both outstanding all year.

5. Worst Player

There are a few players who will be disappointed with their performances this season, but none more than Marko Rog. The 22-year-old started three games this season, none of which were in the Serie A. 

Used as a substitute in 27 Serie A matches, Rog was frequently brought on towards the end of a game, when opposition defences would be tiring. Rog scored one goal, assisted one more and provided seven key passes. Defensively, he made more fouls than successful tackles over the entire campaign. 

Rog offered nothing to this Napoli side this season, and will be sweating over his future as a result. 

Honourable mentions go to Amadou Diawara, Elseid Hysaj and Mário Rui.

6. The Manager

The fact that Maurizio Sarri's name has been linked with a host of top European clubs says everything about the Napoli manager. 

Sarri joined Napoli in 2015, and has built something quite special in Naples, just as he did previously at Empoli. Sarri brought an incredibly exciting style of play to Napoli, and has continued to impress this season. 

Reports suggest that Chelsea and Arsenal are both considering Sarri as a managerial candidate. He deserves all the success and plaudits which are directed towards him, and only time will tell whether he will still be in Naples next season.

7. Overall Grade

Should Napoli be graded on their Serie A performances alone, they would certainly do well. Their form at the end of the season would drag their grade down, but their hard work would carry them through.

Unfortunately, their failures in every cup competition - both domestic and continental - have to be considered also. Early exits in the Coppa Italia, Champions League and Europa League are disappointing, but should not overshadow what has to be viewed as a successful season. 

More often than not, Napoli played well. However, there are improvements which need to be made before the team can compete with the likes of Juventus.

Overall Grade: B