Massimiliano Allegri is enjoying Napoli's return to winning ways. A 1-0 win against Bologna, scored by Lobotka in the second half, ended a run of three consecutive defeats in the league and the Champions League and allowed the Azzurri to regain their confidence.
Speaking to Sky Sport, the coach also highlighted the areas that needed fixing after a match in which Napoli conceded little to their opponents.
"In the end, we could have handled a couple of situations better; we played the ball in our own half instead of the opponent's. The win wasn't easy; Bologna is a physical team, but we gave up little, except for sleeping on Theate's disallowed goal. Let's enjoy the win and hope it's a good start."
Allegri then had some important words for Kevin De Bruyne, who was forced off the pitch late on due to cramp. The Belgian midfielder was once again deployed deeper, a move the coach defends with conviction.
"He's played in that position all his life, he's so good at finding space and knowing when to drop back that we definitely benefit from it. It's impossible to argue with De Bruyne, because he's a pleasure to watch, but given his age he needs to be managed."
The Italian coach also sees room for improvement for the Belgian: "He's growing, and he'll be able to do better in that position, as he always has throughout his career. Today he only had cramps because he also spent a lot of time defensively."
The match was decided by Lobotka, set up by Favasuli, who came on at half-time for Politano. This decision is something Allegri applauds and could send a positive signal for the upcoming matches.
"Costantino was very good, he also came on well against Arsenal. At that moment, we needed fresh energy. Sometimes making substitutions in the 45th minute can be useful."
Key points from Napoli's victory against Bologna
Here is a summary of the main points that emerged from the match and from Allegri's statements.
- Important victory: Napoli ended a streak of three consecutive defeats with a 1-0 victory over Bologna.
- Decisive goal: The winning goal was scored by Lobotka in the second half.
- Areas to improve: Allegri stressed the need to better manage certain game situations.
- De Bruyne's management: The manager defended the decision to deploy De Bruyne in a deeper position, highlighting his value.
- Importance of changes: Allegri highlighted the effectiveness of the changes, in particular the entry of Favasuli.
