Napoli lost the match against Villarreal in the Champions League, with a result of 1-2 in favor of the Spaniards. The defeat was mainly attributed to an error by Politano, who made a soft pass and left the ball in the hands of the Spanish defender, allowing Napoli to lose the lead. Coach Allegri criticized the team's performance, highlighting that the 3‑5‑2 failed to contain Villarreal's pressure and that the team failed to react effectively.
Before the match, Napoli had shown a more balanced approach compared to the previous victory against Frosinone. The attack, led by Rrahmani and Hojlund, seemed to have control of the game, but Politano's mistake changed the course of the game. Allegri stressed that the team lost motivation as the match progressed, and that the young team showed signs of vitality but failed to maintain the pace.
Napoli attempted to turn the situation around in the second half, but the absence of a decisive contribution from Spinazzola, Lobotka, Lang, Neres and Lucca prevented them from avoiding a second consecutive defeat. Allegri also mentioned the need to review the lineup for the next matches, in particular for the next match against Venezia, where the team will face a difficult start to the season and a new coach.
The club expressed concern about the current situation, underlining that the step backwards is worrying after the signs of awakening given against Frosinone. Allegri stated that the team must work on total involvement and complete harmony with the coach to improve performances in the league and Champions League. Napoli must avoid making "certain gifts" that could compromise its position in Europe.