Billy Gilmour celebrated his return to form and fitness by scoring Napoli‘s opening goal in their 1-1 draw against Fiorentina, marking his first Serie A goal since September 2025.
The Scottish midfielder found the net with a well-taken volley from a Matteo Politano corner. His celebration, which saw him embrace assistant coach Marco Landucci, was a routine that had been meticulously practised in training.
A Practised Goal and Crucial Point
Speaking after the match, Gilmour revealed the preparation behind his goal. "We worked on it in the training pitch to take chances like this and it worked well, so I went to thank the squad and the backroom team," he stated.
Despite Gilmour’s opener, Fiorentina managed to equalise through Alex Jimenez. The hosts were kept in the game by a string of saves from goalkeeper David de Gea, who denied Napoli players like David Neres and Costantino Favasuli from adding to their tally.
Reflecting on the result, Gilmour acknowledged the importance of the point, especially heading into the international break. "It was an important game, so a point is OK going into the international break, but at points in the game we could’ve scored a lot more," he commented. "We didn’t get the three points today, but we worked hard and gave it our all."
Return from Injury Lay-off
The goal represents a significant milestone for Gilmour, who has endured a challenging period. He missed Scotland’s World Cup squad due to a knee injury, a setback that kept him out of contention for Steve Clarke’s final selection.
Having recovered from the knee problem, Gilmour was recently recalled by Sebastien Pocognoli. He spoke candidly about the difficulties of his time on the sidelines. "Of course it was difficult not to go to the World Cup, but I’ve got good people here who helped me along the way. When you’re training with your club, you work hard and get the benefits from it," he explained.
Napoli remain in the title race, and while a point away from home is not to be dismissed, the team will likely view the 1-1 draw as a missed opportunity to secure all three points.