"Talking about formations is reductive. It’s bar talk more than pitch talk," said Massimiliano Allegri before Napoli's trip to Villarreal. He added that Scott McTominay could start, while Vanja Milinkovic-Savic is set to play and Alex Meret is coming off injury. The game is Villarreal vs Napoli, the second matchday of the Champions League league phase, on Tuesday 13 October at 21.

Allegri's selection call

Allegri's point was obvious enough. He does not want the conversation fixed on systems when he is still deciding the XI and managing players back from injury. He said he had not yet decided the eleven, and McTominay could also start.

The numbers fit that caution. McTominay has made only 3 Napoli appearances this season, covering 149 minutes. Kevin De Bruyne has 5 appearances and 339 minutes, so Allegri's line about condition and timing is not just talk, it matches how he is handling both players.

He also said good players should play together, but not always, because availability and current condition still matter. That is why the discussion around McTominay is less about a permanent tactical switch than a managed return to the XI.

Villarreal's side of the tie

Villarreal are not arriving as easy opposition. Allegri said they showed their form against Real Madrid, and Iñigo Pérez made the mental side a central point before the game, calling it fundamental. On paper, Villarreal's domestic position is 11th in La Liga with 8 points from 8 matches, and their Champions League start has already put pressure on this home fixture.

Napoli's recent form is mixed, with WDWLL in their last five matches, so Allegri is right to treat this as a points game rather than a theory session about shapes. The team he picks in Spain will say more about where his squad is physically than about any grand tactical statement.

Allegri also said Anguissa, Olivera and Alisson will be back in the squad as early as Wednesday, which points to a rotation picture that is still shifting. If McTominay does start in Villarreal, it will be another sign that Napoli are still being built around fitness and availability first.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →