Napoli find themselves in a phase of great uncertainty, especially regarding the midfield. After four defeats in eight games and two eliminations in the Champions League, Allegri's team seems to have lost confidence in their defensive abilities. The defeat against Villarreal, with a final result of 3‑1, was particularly painful: Politano's error opened the door to the 1‑1 goal, and Napoli was unable to react, ending up conceding another goal in an already difficult match. The coach then declared that "in Italy it seems a shame to know how to defend", underlining the average of one goal conceded per game in the league and two in the Champions League.
Despite the goals conceded, the three main centre-backs – Rafa Marin, Rrahmani and Badiashile – were not among the team's worst. However, the midfield was the main cause of difficulties. McTominay is far from his best form, while Kevin De Bruyne was more involved in discussions with Allegri about his role than in the match itself. Gilmour's administration had to replace Lobotka and Anguissa, the latter still injured. The picture is that of an aging "fab four": McTominay is 29 years old, Anguissa 30, Lobotka 31 and De Bruyne 35. Two of them have contracts that expire by 2028, but the lack of freshness and speed is evident.
In this context, the lack of a renewal or new purchase was particularly noticeable. An example is Issa Doumbia, who left Venezia for the Sporting Club of Portugal during the summer. The young midfielder, born in 2003, had already made his debut for the national team and scored his first goal in the Champions League, representing an ideal profile to strengthen the Neapolitan midfield. Napoli could have bought him for an affordable price, but Sporting rejected an offer of 20 million, leaving open the prospect of a sale for 50 million by January, with the buyout clause of 80 million. This was a great missed opportunity for Napoli, who need to strengthen their midfield, one of the team's main problems at the start of the season.
Napoli's future remains uncertain. With the season still underway, the club will have to decide whether to invest in new talent or restructure the current squad to return to competing in both Serie A and the Champions League. The next transfer phase will be crucial to determine whether Napoli will be able to overcome the current difficulties and restore their competitiveness on the European stage.