Massimiliano Allegri said Napoli need to get back on track when they face AS Roma on Saturday at 18 at the Maradona. Napoli slipped up in Venice in the last round, and the coach said the game is important even if it is only the eighth round of the season. Roma arrive as the stronger side in the table, but Allegri kept the focus on Napoli’s response.

Allegri's demand for a response

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, Allegri said: “We slipped up in Venice, it would be nice to get back on track.” He added that Napoli need “the result to give continuity to get back in touch with the top four.”

The league position gives that line some weight. Napoli are ninth in Serie A with 10 points from 7 games, while Roma come to the Maradona in third place with 17 points and a +13 goal difference. Giovane also sounded confident before the match, saying Roma are strong but Napoli want to win for themselves and their fans.

The Bodø/Glimt result sits in the background, but Allegri did not treat it as a cure-all. Giovane had said after Tuesday that “everything can change,” yet Allegri’s message was more measured. The Venezia defeat still needs answering first.

De Bruyne and the midfield balance

Allegri also used the build-up to talk about Kevin De Bruyne. He said the Belgian can play “in front of the defence or in the double pivot,” and noted that he has already used him there. That gives Napoli another route through midfield if he decides to keep the same shape against Roma.

Stanislav Lobotka is part of that calculation as well. Allegri said Lobotka has played a lot and that management matters when matches come so often, which is why selection remains open. The point is practical rather than decorative, Napoli need control in midfield if they want the game to look different from Venice.

The fixture is now the immediate test. Napoli vs AS Roma is on Saturday, and Allegri has already set the standard for what he wants from it, a response, better structure without the ball, and a result that keeps Napoli moving.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →