Allegri tells Napoli to keep their nerve after two Champions League defeats

Allegri calls for calm as Napoli face Bodø/Glimt

Massimiliano Allegri has urged Napoli to avoid anxiety and haste as they try to halt a difficult run of results in their Champions League meeting with Bodø/Glimt at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Napoli have lost their opening two Champions League matches, against Arsenal and Villarreal, and arrive after a 1-0 Serie A defeat to bottom-placed Venezia. Allegri said his team must be technically sharper against opponents who defend deep, and more alert when mistakes occur.

“We need to play well on a technical level, as they are a team who defend well with a low block,” Allegri told Sky Sport Italia. He also pointed to Napoli’s failure to react quickly enough after an error against Venezia, saying the team could have handled the incident better.

Injuries limit Allegri’s options

Alisson Santos has joined Antonio Vergara, David Neres, Costantino Favasuli and Alessandro Buongiorno on Napoli’s absentee list. Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa is set to start for the first time since September 5, while Matteo Politano is available again. Allegri said Vergara was unlikely to be ready for Saturday because he had not yet trained with the squad.

Allegri cautioned that Anguissa is not ready for a full match after a lengthy injury absence. He said the midfielder had played only briefly against Fiorentina before being hurt again, adding jokingly that starting him would leave a substitution available if another problem arose.

Kevin De Bruyne is being used as a playmaker, a position the source says he does not enjoy. Allegri said Napoli’s other midfield options had recently played extensively at international level.

“Anxiety and haste lead to mistakes”

Allegri warned Napoli to stay organised and patient, particularly because Champions League matches can change late. Bodø/Glimt lost 5-0 at Bayern Munich but followed that result with a 1-0 home win over Borussia Dortmund. The Norwegian side also famously eliminated Inter from last season’s Champions League play-offs.

“We’ve got to play until the referee blows the whistle, keep passing the ball, sometimes bypass some intermediary passes and be more direct,” Allegri said. He added that the team needed precision, technique and the determination to earn results rather than expect them to come easily.

“There are moments where things go badly over the course of a season, but we’ve got to take responsibility to turn things around, without anxiety, because anxiety and haste lead to mistakes,” he said.