SSC Napoli finds itself in a precarious position early in the season, grappling with a significant injury crisis, disciplinary issues, and mounting pressure on newly appointed manager Massimiliano Allegri. The club has confirmed that goalkeeper Alex Meret sustained a low-grade adductor injury to his left thigh, while Alisson Santos is out with a medium-grade hamstring injury [1]. Both players were forced off during the recent Champions League defeat to Arsenal [2]. Meret’s availability, in particular, remains uncertain as he undergoes further assessment [3]. Vanja Milinković-Savić replaced Meret at halftime in the Arsenal match [4].
The injury list extends beyond these two, with Scott McTominay recovering from a minor heart procedure and expected back after the international break [1]. Other notable absentees include Luca Marianucci, Alessandro Buongiorno, and Giovane Nascimento, all of whom missed the Champions League opener [3]. André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, who was also missing for the Arsenal game, has returned to training and is now in contention to feature [1]. David Neres was only fit enough for the bench against Arsenal, highlighting the depth of the squad’s fitness concerns [3].
Managerial Pressure and Recent Form
Massimiliano Allegri’s tenure as Napoli head coach has begun under a cloud of scrutiny, with his position reportedly under threat after a string of poor results [5]. Napoli has suffered three consecutive defeats across all competitions, including back-to-back Serie A losses against Como and Inter, followed by a 1-0 Champions League defeat to Arsenal [5]. The Champions League opener saw Martin Odegaard score the only goal, securing a narrow victory for Arsenal [6]. Despite the loss, Allegri stated that the team played a good game, though he expressed disappointment over decision-making errors [7]. Napoli director Giovanni Manna has urged calm, emphasizing that the team must not panic despite the recent setbacks [8].
Adding to the team’s woes, Noa Lang was left out of the squad for disciplinary reasons, a decision confirmed by director Manna [3]. This internal issue further complicates Allegri’s task of stabilizing the team. Interestingly, Kevin De Bruyne, who started against Arsenal, has publicly defended his performances and expressed a better understanding with Allegri compared to former manager Antonio Conte [9]. Lorenzo Lucca also had a clear opening in the closing minutes against Arsenal, indicating that chances are being created despite the losses [9].
What it means
SSC Napoli currently sits in 12th position in Serie A with 3 points from 3 games, having secured one win and suffered two losses, scoring 5 goals and conceding 5. Their recent form across all competitions is concerning, with three consecutive defeats: a 0-1 loss to Arsenal in the Champions League, a 2-3 defeat to Inter Milan, and a 1-2 loss to Como in Serie A. This string of results follows two wins against Genoa and Udinese earlier in the season. The upcoming Serie A fixture against Bologna on September 13th presents a crucial opportunity for Napoli to halt their losing streak and alleviate some of the pressure on Massimiliano Allegri. The site’s forecast for this match will be available 24 hours before kick-off, offering insights into whether Napoli can turn their fortunes around at home.
Sources
- Football Italia: Napoli confirm extent of Meret and Alisson injuries after 1-0 Arsenal defeat football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Di Lorenzo: ‘Napoli defended too deep, but we knew Arsenal were strong’ football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Napoli give worrying injury updates on Alisson and Meret football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Napoli’s Meret suffers injury in Arsenal Champions League clash football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Allegri under pressure as Napoli line up Palladino football-italia.net ↩
- BBC Sport: Odegaard strike earns Arsenal narrow victory at Napoli bbc.co.uk ↩
- Football Italia: Allegri ‘very upset’ after Napoli 0-1 Arsenal: ‘We will get over this’ – video football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Manna: ‘Napoli must not panic, Lang left out for disciplinary reasons’ against Arsenal football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Napoli’s De Bruyne defends performances after Arsenal loss: ‘This is the real De Bruyne’ football-italia.net ↩