On Friday evening, Napoli’s players and coaching staff boarded a bus at the Konami training centre in Castel Volturno and departed for the Novotel Hotel in Caserta, where they would spend the next 48 hours preparing for Sunday’s Derby del Sole. The shortened ritiro came after one of the Azzurri’s worst performances of the season – a 0-1 defeat to 17th-placed Empoli.
In recent days, details have surfaced of a near-physical altercation between two senators of the locker room, Juan Jesus and Giovanni Di Lorenzo. According to CalcioNapoli24, Juan Jesus and Andrè-Frank Zambo Anguisa went behind their captain’s back to plead with Francesco Calzona to not impose a ritiro. Instead, Calzona and Di Lorenzo, who faced the traveling supporters after the defeat to Empoli, supported the club’s decision. The retreat might have been longer, but hotel availability was limited due to the Liberation Day long weekend in Italy.
However, as Francesco Calzona explained in Napoli’s first pre-match press conference in months, the team retreat was not punitive. According to the Napoli coach, “the two days of training camp were because we needed to spend as much time together as possible. It was a choice made together with the club and I agreed with the club, because sometimes even being away from the family can help to realize that, at the moment, we are missing [something] from many points of view. So it is just about being together. The ritiro is absolutely not punitive, but must be productive.”
As it turned out, the ritiro was in fact productive. Napoli put in one of their strongest performances of the season, playing with great intensity throughout the match, as demonstrated by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the 77th minute. The Georgian chased Renato Sanchez across the field towards the Roma corner flag, eventually forcing Evan Ndicka to play the ball straight out to touch. Though wasteful, the home side created a plethora of chances, generating an xG of 3.5.
With standout performances from Kvaratskhelia, Anguisa, who seemed to be everywhere at all times, and Victor Osimhen, the team resembled the side that clinched the club’s third ever Scudetto at this time last year.
On the whole, the performance was similar to the 2-2 draw against Frosinone, in contrast to the 0-1 defeat at Empoli.
However, like against Frosinone, the performance highlighted the Partenopei’s glaring deficiencies as well. At the top of the list is the club’s seeming inability to defend. Napoli conceded very similar penalty kicks in both matches – long ball floated into the area, opponent wins the aerial duel, centre back late on the tackle. Amir Rrahmani committed the foul against Frosinone, while Juan Jesus was the culprit against Roma. Yet, Calzona continues to start both players so long as they are available. As Albert Einstein said, “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Though Meret guessed correctly, he was unable to stop Paulo Dybala’s perfectly placed spot kick. As Patrick Kendrick noted on the English World Feed, it was the Argentinian’s first goal since the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona was renamed in dedication to the club legend. It was Dybala’s first league goal since the second of March – Napoli have an uncanny ability to end such streaks.
Even Tammy Abraham, making only his fourth league appearance after a lengthy recovery from a torn ACL, managed to find the back of the goal. Take your pick on who to blame for the goal:
- Mathias Olivera, who lost the aerial duel to Abraham in the buildup;
- Giacomo Raspadori, who could not beat Dybala to the second ball before forcing the corner kick;
- Amir Rrahmani, who lost the aerial duel to Ndicka, who in turn was credited with the assist;
- Juan Jesus, who left Abraham unmarked, pushing up to play the offside;
- Anguissa, who watched an unmarked Abraham head the ball in at the second post; or
- Di Lorenzo, who was slow to push up and therefore played Abraham onside, as confirmed by the semi-automated offside technology.
Perhaps the most blameworthy was Calzona, who broke one of the most basic tenets of coaching by making a substitution while defending a corner kick. The intent was clear: replace one of the shortest players on the pitch with a central defender who tends to dominate in the air, much to the displeasure of the former, having only entered the match 18 minutes prior. That plan backfired. Somehow, with only six players in the area against all 11 of Napoli, Roma won two headers to draw level.
And still, like against Frosinone, Napoli easily could have won the match, despite conceding twice, had they been more clinical, particularly in the first half. Mile Svilar was exceptional in goal for the visitors, making several important saves and forcing Napoli players to rush many of the shots that missed the target.
Outside of the Europa League, the 24-year-old had only featured once under José Mourinho. Shortly after taking over, De Rossi handed Svilar the reins and neither has looked back since. Though Osimhen tortured Roma last season, he could only beat Svilar from the penalty spot on this occasion. The Serbian shot stopper made three important saves on last season’s Capocannoniere. Osimhen’s best chance was created by Cyril Ngonge, who made the most of his 20 minutes off the bench, linking up very well with the Napoli No. 9.
It’s a shame that Napoli supporters are not likely to see an attacking trio of Kvaratskhelia, Osimhen and Ngonge next season. Despite reports that no club is willing to pay Osimhen’s release clause entirely in cash, Osimhen remains more likely to leave Napoli than to stay for another season.
The proceeds of the sale are expected to fund the club’s second rebuild in three seasons. Before Napoli can dive into the mercato, they need to make a decision on the next coach. Calzona is no longer linked to the permanent role. While both Mazzarri and Calzona will be appreciated for trying to save their former club, neither averaged more points per game than Rudi Garcia. However, that is not vindication for Garcia either. The Frenchman’s points/game average is amongst the worst of the last decade.
- 2023/24 – Garcia: 1.75 (12 matches); Mazzarri: 1.25 (12 matches); Calzona: 1.40 (10 matches)
- 2022/23 – Spalletti: 2.34
- 2021/22 – Spalletti: 2.08
- 2020/21 – Gattuso: 2.03
- 2019/20 – Ancelotti: 1.40 (15 matches, mutiny); Gattuso: 1.78 (23 matches)
- 2018/19 – Ancelotti: 2.08
- 2017/18 – Sarri: 2.39
- 2016/17 – Sarri: 2.26
- 2015/16 – Sarri: 2.16
- 2014/15 – Benitez: 1.66
For Calzona, there are four matches remaining to improve his points average. If he wins out, that figure would improve to 1.85, though no Napoli coach has won three consecutive matches this season, let alone four. For everyone else involved, the season’s end could not come soon enough.
