Massimiliano Allegri begins his first Serie A match at Napoli with a defence already thinned out and Rasmus Højlund set to carry the attack from the start. Genoa vs Napoli is not just a routine opener for Napoli. It is a first look at whether they can look organised straight away while injuries and selection calls already bite.

Allegri's defensive problem

Alessandro Buongiorno has undergone knee surgery and will be sidelined for a considerable period. Sam Beukema and Luca Marianucci are both injured, with Beukema still only doubtful for the opening game. Sports Mole also reported that Allegri will hope Badiashile is ready to play soon, which tells you how tight the options already are.

That leaves Allegri with very little room to build a settled back line on opening night. Kevin De Bruyne is expected to feature from the bench, so Napoli should still have quality available later in the game, but the first priority is getting the structure right without forcing the same players into roles they are not ready to handle.

Højlund's first-game burden

The Hard Tackle said the pressure is greater because Napoli are in the market for a new striker amid reported links with Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus, and that Hojlund needs a top-quality performance from the first game. That is a fair reading of the situation. If Napoli are going to look dangerous early, Højlund has to be the reference point from the first whistle.

Napoli's recent league form gives Allegri a decent base to work from. They have won three of their last five league matches, while Genoa have taken only one point from their last five. Napoli also finished second last season with 76 points, and Genoa ended up 16th with 41 points.

The wider head-to-head trend points the same way, but this game is more about Napoli's own control than the history books. If Allegri gets the back line through the night without a scramble, and Højlund gives them an outlet up front, Napoli can leave Genoa with a clean opening statement on 22 August.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →