A win that eased the pressure
Napoli went to Monza after a poor run and came away with a 4-1 victory. The goals came from Rasmus Højlund, Politano, Rafa Marín and De Bruyne, according to [1]. The result followed a shock defeat at Venezia and a 3-3 draw with Roma, so it was badly needed.
Højlund’s goal mattered most. It ended an eight-match drought, and he started ahead of Lorenzo Lucca in a side that used a back three of Di Lorenzo, Marín and Rrahmani, as the [2] showed. Rrahmani was back after missing the Roma game with flu symptoms, which gave the defence a steadier base.
Monza were short of players too. Matteo Pessina, Jan Ziółkowski and Yvan Maye were out, and Michael Folorunsho was also missing. Even so, a four-goal away win is a clear signal after a run of dropped points and an awkward week of results.
The Lobotka blow
The damage came in midfield. Stanislav Lobotka went down in the 15th minute after a collision with Ricardo Mangas and was stretchered off in tears, with Billy Gilmour replacing him, [3] reported. He was taken for X-rays, and the early fear was that the injury was serious.
The club has since confirmed the extent. Napoli said Lobotka has a low-grade left ankle injury, a distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury without instability plus a low-grade ATFL injury, [4] said. Reports on the timeline differ. One says at least a month, another up to two, and the verified facts give four to eight weeks. Either way, he will miss a sizeable block of fixtures.
There is some relief in the midfield picture. Landucci said Scott McTominay is back after a month out and a further month regaining match fitness, and that Andre Zambo Anguissa has also returned from a long absence. The midfield has improved since the regular players came back, but losing Lobotka tests that depth immediately.
Injuries and a coach on the sidelines
The defence is the thinnest area. Football Italia reported that Benoît Badiashile (right thigh) and Leonardo Spinazzola (hamstring) both picked up injuries against Roma. Napoli were also without David Neres, Alisson Santos, Costantino Favasuli and Alessandro Buongiorno at Monza. Landucci added that Favasuli and Antonio Vergara were hurt on international duty, though the confidence on those two reports is only moderate.
The touchline is unusual as well. Head coach Max Allegri was sent off for dissent and is serving a two-match ban, so assistant Marco Landucci takes charge for Monza and for the next game at Juventus. Landucci handled the first game well, but the Juventus match is a much bigger test. Napoli also have a transfer story in the background. They are reportedly weighing up a move for Udinese defender Oumar Solet, but any deal looks more likely in the summer than in January, and the report remains a rumour.
What it means
Napoli sit 7th in Serie A with 14 points from nine games (W4 D2 L3, goals for 17, against 11). The goal difference is healthy, but the table shows a side that has dropped too many points. The Monza win lifted them after the 0-1 defeat at Venezia and the 3-3 draw with Roma at home.
The wider form is mixed. Napoli lost 1-3 at Villarreal in the Champions League, then beat Bodø/Glimt 4-3 at home, a game that was far more open than the scoreline suggests. Add the Monza result and they have scored 15 goals in their last five games while conceding 11. That is an entertaining pattern, but a risky one against a stronger opponent.
The next fixture is Juventus v Napoli on 1 November, and the question is whether the defence, already without Badiashile and Spinazzola, can hold up in Turin. Lobotka’s absence removes a key midfield screen, and Landucci is on the bench again in place of Allegri. McTominay and Anguissa returning gives some cover. The site’s forecast for the match locks 24 hours before kick-off, so the final prediction will reflect whatever team news arrives by then.
Sources
- Football Italia: Serie A | Monza 1-4 Napoli: Hojlund breaks drought, but Lobotka scare football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Serie A official line-ups: Monza vs. Napoli football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Lobotka injury: Napoli star stretchered off in tears football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Official: Napoli reveal extent of Lobotka’s injury football-italia.net ↩
