Napoli reached the first pause in the Serie A season with a sense of unfinished business rather than satisfaction. The 1-1 draw away to Fiorentina, played in the early 12.30 kick-off and heavy heat, left Max Allegri’s side on seven points after five matches, six behind the league leaders.
Allegri had wanted the trip to Florence to close this opening stretch with a victory, but his assessment centred on what Napoli failed to do in the decisive areas. He felt his team had produced a technically sound performance, yet lacked the conviction required when the ball arrived in and around the penalty area.
“We played a good technical match, but we have to be more ruthless in front of goal,” Allegri said. “When the ball comes into the box, we do not finish the move and it does not go in. It all depends on how you attack the ball, and therefore on the match itself. We may be improving, but today we should leave the pitch angry. That means we still have to improve.”
Allegri asks for a sharper Napoli
The coach returned repeatedly to the need for greater aggression and concentration, arguing that Napoli cannot treat the result in Florence as an acceptable conclusion simply because there were positive passages in the performance. For Allegri, the disappointment is part of the standard the team must establish.
Asked whether that edge can be developed on the training ground, he said the squad works to improve but must be more attentive. Napoli, he added, gave away some simple balls and could not use fatigue as an excuse.
The six-point gap at this early stage does not alter Allegri’s view that the campaign will be demanding. His immediate priority is to use the international break to bring back as many players as possible, while ensuring the group understands that the work completed so far will not be enough.
“It will be a difficult league this year,” he said. “We have to try to recover as many players as possible during the break. We should have come off angry today; otherwise it becomes a problem.”
He also addressed Rasmus Hojlund, saying the forward had at times become too determined to force matters but has room to grow. The wider warning was directed at the whole side: Napoli must recognise their limitations and work on them, rather than assume they are superior to their opponents and risk paying the price.
Anguissa suffers another groin concern
There was further concern over Frank Anguissa, with Allegri confirming that the midfielder felt discomfort in his groin again. The coach also defended his management of the substitutions, explaining that introducing Antonio Vergara could have exposed Napoli to a counter-attack had Fiorentina scored.
Allegri kept Kevin De Bruyne on the pitch because of his capacity to create a moment of quality, while David Neres is still building physical condition after not completing a full match since January. The coach said that the only way he knows to restore certain players is to use them, which is why he has arranged two friendlies during the break.
Sam Beukema and Benoît Badiashile are expected to feature in those matches, along with other players needing minutes. Napoli will use that period not only for recovery, but to confront the shortfall Allegri identified after Florence: more edge, more attention and more authority in both penalty areas.
“What we have done so far is not enough,” Allegri said. “We have to grow after the break.”
