Massimiliano Allegri’s tenure as Napoli head coach began with a setback as the Partenopei fell to a 3-1 defeat against Serie C outfit Arezzo in their opening pre-season fixture. The loss was compounded by an injury to striker Lorenzo Lucca, who was forced from the pitch in the 85th minute with a sprained right ankle.
Arezzo established an early advantage when Cerri opened the scoring after 11 minutes. The Tuscan side continued to press and doubled their lead shortly before the hour mark through Gilli. Napoli found a response when Matteo Politano converted from the penalty spot on the 60-minute mark, but any hopes of a comeback were extinguished when Mavulli added a third for the hosts late in the game.
Allegri’s experimental side struggles
Allegri named a strong starting line-up featuring Italy internationals Alex Meret, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Amir Rrahmani, alongside midfield anchor Frank Anguissa and summer signing Rasmus Hojlund. Despite the experienced personnel, Napoli appeared sluggish throughout the contest and struggled to match the intensity of their lower-league opponents.
The performance offered the former Juventus boss a clear indication of the work required ahead of the new campaign, with the team showing signs of rust following their summer break. Pre-season fixtures often serve as fitness exercises, but the gulf in sharpness between the sides was evident.
Lucca injury clouds transfer prospects
The evening took a concerning turn when Lucca was withdrawn late on. The club have since confirmed he suffered a sprained right ankle, with medical staff set to assess the severity over the coming days.
The timing is particularly significant given ongoing transfer speculation surrounding the forward. A brief absence would be unlikely to disrupt potential negotiations, though a lengthier lay-off could complicate any prospective deal. Fiorentina are understood to be monitoring the situation closely as they evaluate their own attacking options for the forthcoming season.
Viola make winning start
Meanwhile, Fiorentina began their pre-season schedule with a narrow 1-0 victory over Gubbio. Albert Gudmundsson secured the win from the penalty spot in the first half after new arrival Arthur Atta had been fouled inside the area.
Oulaì was handed his debut following the interval, while the right-sided combination of Dodo and Fortini impressed with their link-up play. However, striker Moise Kean was unable to add to the scoreline, missing several presentable opportunities to extend the advantage.