Massimiliano Allegri's Napoli tenure began with a defeat as the Partenopei fell 3-1 to Serie C side Arezzo in their opening pre-season friendly at Dimaro on Wednesday evening. The result mirrored last summer's corresponding fixture, with Arezzo again proving a stubborn opponent for the Azzurri.
Allegri fielded a strong starting XI featuring Alex Meret, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Frank Anguissa, Rasmus Hojlund and new signing Alisson Santos. However, Arezzo looked sharper from the outset and took the lead on 11 minutes when Cerri rose highest to head home Sala's cross.
The Tuscan side doubled their advantage just before the hour mark — Gilli capitalised on a rebound after Vanja Milinkovic-Savic could only parry a corner, tapping in from close range. Napoli pulled one back on 60 minutes through Matteo Politano's penalty, awarded after a handball in the box. Politano, one of several second-half substitutes including Spinazzola, Lobotka, Vergara and Lorenzo Lucca, confidently sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Arezzo sealed the win late on when Mavulli converted in the 89th minute, taking advantage of a defensive error from Obaretin to beat Nikita Contini. Politano played down the result afterward: "It's disappointing because we wanted to start well, even though we knew we weren't at peak fitness. It's part of pre-season — we've only been working for a few days."
The bigger concern for Napoli came in the closing stages. Striker Lorenzo Lucca was forced off in the 85th minute after suffering a right ankle sprain. The club has confirmed the injury but stated that his condition will be assessed over the coming days before a clearer prognosis on recovery time can be established.
The timing carries implications for Napoli's transfer planning. Fiorentina have been monitoring Lucca's situation as they evaluate their own attacking options, and the severity of the injury could influence any potential negotiations. A short absence would likely have little impact on the market, while a longer lay-off might stall discussions.
Allegri used the match to rotate heavily, giving minutes to a large portion of his squad as they build fitness ahead of the new Serie A campaign. Napoli continue their pre-season schedule next week with further friendlies before their season opener.
Sources
- https://football-italia.net/allegris-napoli-lose-3-1-to-arezzo-fiorentina/
- https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/i-fatti-del-giorno/napoli-prima-arezzo-bestia-nera-segno-politano-lucca-ko-2256259
