Massimiliano Allegri takes Napoli to the Allianz Stadium looking for consistency against his former club, who are coming off the defeat at Genoa. At his pre-match press conference he spoke warmly of his past, cautiously of the present, and with open respect for the opponent.
“Ten Years, Half of My Career”
On returning to Turin, Allegri kept the sentiment in check. “It is pointless to keep recalling it every time. I spent ten years there, 50% of my career, and my son lives in Turin. It will be a good match, a direct clash between two teams who are behind in the table.”
“Juventus Rarely Dies”
The line that will travel furthest came in answer to the way the Juventus crisis has been portrayed. “I have heard in the media that they are giving Juventus up for dead, but Juventus rarely dies. It is a strong team with a good manager. In these moments they pull together, and so it will be very difficult for us. We will need a great technical and physical performance and a bit of good luck.”
For Spalletti, whose position has been questioned all week, it is a notable endorsement from the opposing bench, and a reminder that Napoli are not treating the match as an easy one.
No New Philosophy, but Room to Improve
Asked whether Napoli have changed their approach, Allegri said they had not. “There is no new philosophy. In the last four matches we have scored a lot of goals, but let us not forget that we have conceded a lot too. Some match situations need to improve, both in and out of possession. We need to occupy the whole pitch better, and manage the ball more clearly, knowing when to slow down and when to speed up. There are two phases: when you have the ball and when you do not.”
Team News: Rrahmani, Anguissa and Lobotka
On the injury front, Rrahmani has had a bout of flu. “He trained yesterday, and today we will see how he is, because we play again on Wednesday. If he is well enough he will play, otherwise it will be one of Marianucci or Beukema.” Anguissa is in a similar position. “There is a flu virus going round that takes one down every now and then. If he is fine he plays, otherwise someone else will.”
The bigger loss is Lobotka, who is expected back in about six weeks. “In our misfortune we were fortunate, because if his foot had been planted it would have been a disaster.” Spinazzola, Neres and Politano are due back after the international break, with Alisson further behind. In the midfield slot, De Bruyne or Gilmour could play, with Gilmour the natural replacement, though Allegri says there will be matches where Napoli use two holding midfielders instead.
On Højlund, he was complimentary. “He had always played well and had important chances that were unfortunately not converted. The other day he scored a lovely goal and played a good match.”
“A Single Match Is Reductive”
Allegri also pushed back on treating the fixture as decisive. “I have sensed it when I go round the city, and I understand the fans. But for a club like Napoli, who have been in the top four for 15 years, it is very reductive to reduce things to one match. The objective is to finish in the top four, and it will not be easy because there are well-equipped teams. We want to get through in the Champions League and stay in the Coppa Italia, and then we can say the season is good. If we are satisfied with winning one direct clash, we do not take a step forward, and I think the club and the fans reducing it to that is not right.”
