Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri has urged his side not to overreact to their 2-1 home defeat by Como, insisting: “It is only the third matchday.”
The result leaves Napoli facing a demanding Serie A meeting with Inter on 5 September, with the champions also dealing with several injury concerns. Napoli are currently second in the table, while Como sit 10th.
Allegri’s message is that the loss to Como should be viewed in the context of the early stage of the season rather than treated as a defining setback. Napoli were beaten on their own ground, but their next fixture will provide an immediate opportunity to respond against one of the leading sides in the division.
The match against Inter will also be complicated by a number of absences. Scott McTominay is expected to miss several games after undergoing an operation, while Giovane was injured during the defeat by Como.
Alessandro Buongiorno and Luca Marianucci are also unavailable, further reducing the options available to Allegri before the meeting with Inter.
The timing of the fixture means Napoli must prepare for a high-profile contest while managing those personnel problems. Their position in second place means they remain near the top of the Serie A standings despite the defeat, while Inter’s current position is not specified in the source information.
Napoli’s loss to Como is therefore followed quickly by a test against Inter, with Allegri seeking to keep the focus on the longer campaign rather than on one early result. His assessment that “It is only the third matchday” underlines the view that there is still substantial time for the team to recover and improve.
The 5 September fixture will be the first opportunity for Napoli to react on the pitch after the home reverse. However, the side will have to do so without McTominay for several matches and with Giovane joining Buongiorno and Marianucci on the unavailable list.
For Allegri, the immediate challenge is to maintain perspective while preparing Napoli for a difficult league encounter. The defeat by Como has interrupted their progress at the start of the campaign, but the table remains at an early stage and Napoli’s next assignment comes against Inter.