From the ignominy of a mid-table finish to league leaders, Antonio Conte has initiated an incredible turnaround at Napoli, writes Stephen Kasiewicz.

The Partenopei sank to 10th in Serie A after one of the worst title defences in Calcio’s history last term.

A horrendous season marred by three managerial changes, lamentable defensive collapses and misguided signings left the club in an unsafe position. Yet under the guidance of the former Italy, Juventus and Inter tactician the Campania-based club have regrouped and rebounded to charge ahead of the chasing pack this season.

The thought of Napoli four points clear at the top of the table at the start of November might have seemed as far-fetched as the possibility of 48-year-old Roma and Italy legend Francesco Totti making a miraculous playing comeback.

Yet, anything seems possible in a campaign where Super Mario Balotelli has finally returned to the Italian top flight.

Napoli’s advance to first place in the classifica is fully merited, though.

While Conte is understandably keen to preach that a European place should be the realistic objective, the Partenopei already look equipped to contend for the title.

The notoriously demanding coach has transformed a fractured group of fatigued individuals into a tenacious, unified unit. After a miserable three-goal opening-day defeat at Hellas Verona, the Partenopei have tightened up at the back, conceding just two goals since.

Captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, a target for the boo boys in the 2023-2024 horror show, has redeemed himself spectacularly.

The 31-year-old admitted he contemplated leaving the club following a season to forget. Yet he has embraced Conte’s methods and registered three goals already. There won’t be many screaming for the overlapping full-back to head for the exit door after his excellent performances in the opening stages of the campaign.

The addition of Azzurri international Alessandro Buongiorno in the summer has also been a significant factor in Napoli possessing the best defence in Serie A.

They spent €40m in the summer to sign the central defender from Torino, but it already looks like a relative bargain.

Amir Rrahmani is a far more assured presence in the middle of the back four, largely thanks to the stellar efforts of the dynamic Buongiorno. The reinvigorated Alex Meret has also benefited from the stability in front of him by keeping five clean sheets with number two Elia Caprile, an able deputy.

None of last season’s additions made any worthwhile contributions – Natan, Jens Cajuste and Jesper Lindstrom were all shipped out – yet this year’s recruitment drive has been different.

The big money sale of wantaway Victor Osimhen was supposed to fund the rebuild.

Yet after an interminable debacle which resulted in the Nigerian eventually joining Galatasaray on loan, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis still backed Conte by splashing out the cash on a host of fresh faces.

The immediate impact of €30m Scottish midfielder Scott McTominay partially prompted Conte to adopt a new formation. Fans have already embraced the former Manchester United player, who has impressed with his work rate, stamina, and forward surges.

His quick adaptation to the tactical and technical challenges of Serie A has made him an almost guaranteed starter in Conte’s side. An early goal in the 3-1 victory over Como and two league assists are also evidence that the move came at the right time for a player sometimes underappreciated at Old Trafford.

Compatriot Billy Gilmour has also made his mark in the absence of the injured Stanislav Lobotka. The Slovak midfield lynchpin is arguably the only irreplaceable player in the Napoli starting line-up. Yet the 23-year-old Scotland regular has excelled in Lobotka’s place and formed a new midfield trio with McTominay and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in the victories against Empoli, Lecce and Milan. Conte pushed for Gilmour’s signature from Brighton and Hove Albion, and the midfield pivot has certainly not disappointed in a demanding role.

The relationship between Conte and experienced forward Romelu Lukaku is well known, and the Lecce-born coach continues to get the best out of the Belgian.

ROMELU LUKAKU.

Napoli take the lead in Milan! #MilanNapoli 0-1 pic.twitter.com/eLlOr1aMLF

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) October 29, 2024

Four goals in eight Serie A games – including an early strike in the two-goal victory at Milan – is a solid return for a player with a vastly different skillset to Osimhen.

Any doubts about Lukaku were almost instantly dispelled when he netted on his debut in thrilling fashion as a substitute against Parma. The 31-year-old’s hold-up and link-up play should not be underestimated either, with four valuable assists as Napoli moved up the table.

Explosive winger David Neres, another high-profile capture from Benfica, has made a vital impact from the bench, racking up three assists and a goal.

Only in football utopia does every signing work out, although Leonardo Spinazzola and Rafa Marin will no doubt provide useful cover throughout a long season.

Wing genius Khvicha Kvaratskhelia remains the most compelling player to watch in Italy. The Georgian’s magnificent goal at Milan was yet another example of his supreme talent. He will comfortably reach double figures after claiming five goals already with a license to roam in multiple formations under Conte.

Without the rigours of European competition – perhaps the only dubious benefit from the doldrums of last year – Napoli have overcome every hurdle after stumbling badly on the first day at Hellas Verona. Any criticism about the standard of opposition or otherwise appears badly misjudged if not foolish in the extreme. The Partenopei were in fifth position at the same stage last season after losing twice and drawing three of their first 10 matches. They were rightly hammered then and deserve some praise now.

Given that we are not even half-way into the season it would be utterly ludicrous to suggest Napoli are the absolute favourites to claim a historic fourth scudetto.

Yet there is no doubt Conte has made them more competitive and more resolute since taking over.

How Napoli fare in their next five Serie A games—starting at home to Atalanta on Sunday and with trips to Inter, Torino, Roma, and Lazio at Stadio Diego Maradona—should present a more accurate picture of their title chances.

Barring an unlikely collapse, expect them to be well-placed to crown the winter champions.

@SKasiewicz

Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour may not be immediate starters at Napoli, but Stephen Kasiewicz suggests Antonio Conte has multiple options to deploy the Scottish duo.

Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour became the first Scots to sign for Napoli when they completed moves to Italy at the end of an agonizingly slow summer transfer window. The midfield pair will make history if they feature for the Partenopei at Cagliari on Sunday.

Yet it remains to be seen how coach Antonio Conte will integrate and utilize the Scottish internationals into an already richly talented squad.

Scotland stars McTominay and Gilmour ready for Serie A debut after first Napoli training

Conte prioritized the captures of the former Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion players as president Aurelio De Laurentiis sanctioned a costly player overhaul at Napoli.

McTominay and Gilmour joined a growing list of Scots in Serie A along with Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Che Adams (Torino) and Liam Henderson (Empoli) in the Italian top flight.

Neither would have moved to the Campania-based club to be mere benchwarmers.

A position as a permanent backup would not convince any player to leave the English Premier League for Italy.

However, former Napoli legend Marek Hamsik does not believe McTominay should be considered an immediate first-team certainty, while Gilmour is unlikely to be satisfied with the role of deputy to irreplaceable starter Stanislav Lobotka.

Hamsik suggests McTominay not a regular starter at Napoli after Man Utd transfer

Conte’s meticulous approach rarely deviates from a set structure yet both McTominay and Gilmour give the experienced tactician a cornucopia of fresh options.

Whether the former Juventus, Inter and Italy coach tweaks his favoured formation, switches personnel or adjusts specific player positioning, there is far more room for variation after a productive transfer window.

There is every possibility that Gilmour could combine with Lobotka to form a defensive shield in front of the Napoli back three. Rather than serve as a patient understudy the Scot could easily coexist with the Slovakian midfield stalwart.

A midfield orchestrator with an expansive passing arsenal, Gilmour has flourished in establishing the tempo and rhythm from the middle of the park for both Brighton and Scotland.

The 23-year-old has previous experience of working with Conte after emerging from the youth ranks at Chelsea and will not be fazed by the coach’s notoriously intense training methods.

McTominay is not expected to instantly displace Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in the Napoli starting line-up. However, the ex-Manchester United midfielder offers a genuine goal scoring threat in a barren area for the Partenopei.

Neither Lobotka nor Anguissa thrived in front of goal in last year’s woeful campaign.

It is not part of the Slovak’s remit to advance forward regularly and unsurprisingly he has netted just twice since joining Napoli in January 2020.

Anguissa claimed a dramatic late winner as Napoli found a way past 10 man Parma before the international break, yet he failed to register a single league goal last term.

Incisive in the final third and adept at well-timed surges from deep, McTominay has thrived in an advanced midfield assignment for club and country.

It is hard to believe that Scotland once deployed the 27-year-old as a temporary centre-back before quickly realizing his talents were better used nearer to the opposition goal.

The hero of the Scottish Euro 2024 qualifying campaign has struck a staggering 10 goals in his last 17 international appearances and netted seven times for the Red Devils in the 2023-2024 EPL term.

McTominay spent the entirety of his professional career at United after progressing through the youth ranks at the Old Trafford club’s renowned academy.

Yet it’s evident that he is ready to embrace everything about the Gli Azzurri after his €30.5m move from England.

Conte could give McTominay an attacking oriented assignment in front of any combination of Lobotka, Anguissa or Gilmour.  There is also the scope to play all four together as part of a radical team revamp.

The 6ft 4in McTominay is also capable of operating as a second striker alongside Romelu Lukaku.

Regardless of how the Napoli coach configures his new look team, the additions of the multiskilled Scottish duo provides an abundance of quality and plethora of choices in what promises to be a testing and arduous season.

Bologna captain Lewis Ferguson is optimistic he will make his comeback from injury as early as November.

The Scottish international was named in the Rossblu’s Champions League squad this week as he continues to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The 25-year-old could return to face Monaco on November 5 after resuming light training at the end of last month.

Ferguson played a pivotal role in last season’s fifth-place finish, which saw Bologna qualify for Europe’s top competition for the first time in 60 years.

In April, the former Hamilton and Aberdeen midfielder sustained the injury in a goalless draw with Monza at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.

Bologna confirm Ferguson needs knee surgery

It ruled him out of the final six games of the Serie A season and the 2024 European Championships with Scotland.

Ferguson is unlikely to be fit for Bologna’s first three Champions League matches against Shakhtar Donetsk, Liverpool and Aston Villa.

Yet he told il Resto del Carlino that he should return to action before the end of the year: “Rehab has proceeded well and I feel strong,” he said.

“Now I’m training on the pitch. Everything is good; I’m post-surgery (for) four months, so hopefully, it will not be long.”

Will he return to the pitch for the first Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk?

“For the first Champions (League) game, I can’t promise anything. I hope that, in two months, I will be ready to play.

“As for the fans, they are amazing, they show us great support every week. Us guys as a team, we appreciate the love and support and everything that they give us. In return we want to perform on the pitch, we just want to make them happy.”

Bologna have claimed just two points from their opening three league games under new coach Vincenzo Italiano.

Ferguson, who spoke before the Rossoblu’s draw with Empoli, believes there’s no cause for alarm yet.

He said: “I am not worried about the start (of the season). Also, this time last year, we lost the first game and drew the second game; we had one point. We’re in the same position now.

“I thought against Udinese, we played really well; we created so many chances. On a different day, we would maybe score three or four – but I thought the performance was good.

“Against Napoli, of course, wasn’t the best game.  I don’t think we performed at the levels we are capable of and I don’t think we deserved to win the game. It’s normal you can have an off day.”

Antonio Conte’s Napoli had a terrible start to the season and Stephen Kasiewicz warns that the Italian tactician will have to rethink season targets if transfers continue to stall.

The opening game of Napoli’s new beginning under Antonio Conte felt like a nightmarish flashback to the horrors of last season. The decorated coach didn’t pull any punches in his post-match assessment of the humiliating three-goal loss at Hellas Verona.

A miserable second-half breakdown suggested it might take months rather than weeks—as Conte had bluntly stated beforehand—to fully turn things around.

There were mitigating circumstances as new centre-back Alessandro Buongiorno was injured and creative lynchpin Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was forced off just before half-time at Stadio Bentegodi. Virtually the same group of players – with Leonardo Spinazzola the only fresh addition – crumbled again in an alarming repeat of the previous campaign.

The psychological scars of a pitiful title defence were evident as heads dropped in a stunning capitulation.

Conte offered an apology for a substandard display while trying to focus on the few positives from a decent enough opening period. Intense work on physical conditioning is all well and good, yet altering ingrained habits could take a considerable amount of time. Mindset matters again plagued a group which dropped to a dismal 10th placed finish after winning a glorious third Scudetto in the 2022-2023 edition of Serie A.

The former Juventus, Italy and Inter tactician has little to prove at the elite level of the game. However, his coaching repertoire probably doesn’t extend to alchemy.

The strengths and weaknesses of the Napoli squad are well known. Without delving into the name-and-blame game, it’s clear there are bona fide stars, a handful that are adequate but won’t miraculously metamorphose into world beaters, and a few others that have blundered frequently on the big stage.

Conte couldn’t have envisaged such an elongated undertaking in acquiring much needed reinforcements. Never a yes man or one to toe the company line he’s advocated a host of new signings since being appointed.

The early transfer window captures of the much-coveted defensive pillar Buongiorno, Spanish centre-back Rafa Marin – an unused substitute against Verona – and Spinazzola offered a measure of hope. Everything has almost ground to a halt since.

President Aurelio De Laurentiis has held up the entire process by insisting that prospective buyers pay the full €130 million release clause for Victor Osimhen.

Conte: ‘I expected better from Napoli, you all know Osimhen situation’

While sporting director Giovanni Manna has been busy offloading the unwanted signings of last term – Jesper Lindstrom (Everton), Natan (Real Betis) and Jens Cajuste (Ipswich Town) – nobody has been willing to meet Osimhen’s exorbitant price tag. Not yet, anyway.

Locked in an unremitting state of suspension, a growing sense of frustration and anxiety has replaced the optimism of Conte’s arrival in Campania.

The blockage must be unclogged before the window finally, and thankfully, closes. Otherwise, Conte may have to further rethink Napoli’s objectives and his own future in what could be another long and draining campaign.

Protracted deals for Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku, and Scottish international midfielder Billy Gilmour somehow remain incomplete. Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay and Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat have also been mentioned among a lengthy list of potential new recruits.

The signing of David Neres was concluded relatively briskly. The Brazilian winger provides a fresh option in an area where the Partenopei need it the most.

While Conte had to endure the indignity of watching relative unknowns Dailon Livramento and Daniel Mosquera make dream goalscoring debuts for Hellas Verona, his own front line badly misfired.

The 55-year-old was no doubt an interested observer as Marco Brescianini – who underwent a medical test with Napoli before a potential transfer failed – claimed a double on his debut for Atalanta in their four goal win at Lecce.

Conte has already made it abundantly clear that it will take far more than a single transfer window to remedy all of Napoli’s squad issues. More must follow Neres as the August 30 deadline looms closer.

Whether the ex-Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur coach genuinely believes that it will take years for the Partenopei to challenge at the top of the table is open to question. Something has to change quickly though.

There’s an immediate chance for redemption when Napoli host Bologna at Stadio Maradona on Sunday. It’s time for the Conte revolution to swing into action after a stumbling start to the club’s bold new era.

@SKasiewicz

Neverending negotiations, protracted talks and a ceaseless daily batch of rumours have been the hallmarks of a hectic summer transfer window: Stephen Kasiewicz looks to five summer signings to watch in Serie A this season.

Deals which were supposed certainties fell through, while others were mentioned and disappeared in a single day. Yet clubs throughout Serie A managed to confirm a host of fresh additions before the start of the new season.

Football Italia examines the five best window signings in Italy so far this summer.

Douglas Luiz (Juventus)

A steady stream of big names has left Italy for the not inconsiderable financial rewards of the English Premier League in recent years. Juve bucked the trend with the high-profile capture of the Brazilian international in a €50m deal, although Enzo Barrenechea and Samuel Iling-Junior’s move to Aston Villa helped Juventus lower the transfer fee to €28m.

Douglas Luiz scored a career-high nine league goals last season, helping Aston Villa qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 40 years last year. Juve coach Thiago Motta will expect more of the same from a midfielder renowned for his defensive attributes.

After five seasons in England, much is expected from the Brazilian in the Old Lady’s revamped midfield.

Matias Soule (Roma)

The left-footed attacker rejected lucrative EPL offers to commit to the Giallorossi after a brilliant breakout season at Frosinone. The capital club invested €30m to bring the Argentinian to the capital from Juventus in an eye-opening transfer.

Deployed primarily as an inverted winger, he claimed 11 Serie A goals on loan at the Canarini in a dazzling campaign. How the 21-year-old adapts to the unique pressures of playing in the Eternal City – along with fellow new forward Artem Dovbyk – could shape Roma’s Champions League ambitions this term.

Serie A Made in USA: The rise of foreign owners

Mehdi Taremi (Inter)

The Nerazzurri have frequently outmanoeuvred their rivals with several astute, value-for-money deals in an increasingly complicated market. The capture of the Iranian international on a free signing represented another great piece of business for the reigning Italian champions.

While the 32-year-old could easily command a regular first-team place at other clubs, he will begin the new campaign just behind the stellar attacking partnership of Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram in the Inter pecking order.

There were a few deficiencies in a squad that sauntered to the title last season, but the former Porto forward adds invaluable depth and experience to an already deep player pool.

Alessandro Buongiorno (Napoli)

The Partenopei won the race for the highly coveted Italian international after a dreadful campaign marred with defensive blunders. Napoli almost fell out the top half of the standings in one of the worst title defences in the modern era of Italian football.

The 25-year-old will not immediately remedy all the Campania based club’s rearguard problems. Yet the €35 million buy from Torino does possess an abundance of qualities, from his timely interventions, aggressiveness in the tackle and ability in the air.

Coach Antonio Conte will rely on the central defender to shore up the Napoli rearguard as they target the top four again.

Serie A 2024-25: Five players with uncertain futures before transfer deadline

Alvaro Morata (Milan)

The Spanish captain has often been a polarizing figure in a peripatetic career at some of Europe’s leading clubs. Yet after two separate spells in Serie A with Juventus he has the know-how and tactical nous to lead the forward line for the Rossoneri.

The 31-year-old is not a like-for-like replacement for Olivier Giroud; however, he returns to Italy after two accomplished seasons at Atletico Madrid. How the €13m striker combines with the creative duo of Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic at Milan could determine if his fifth season in Italian football is a success.

@SKasiewicz

With the start of a new Serie A campaign just around the corner, Stephen Kasiewicz suggests keeping an eye on five emerging Italian players for 2024-25.

Italy’s dismal European Championships prompted another concerted period of soul-searching about the Azzurri’s lack of emerging young players.

While Italian clubs still follow the long-established template of sending academy graduates to the lower tiers to gain experience, several promising players remain at clubs throughout Serie A.

Football Italia runs the rule over five players who will be aiming to take the next step in their careers in the 2024-2025 campaign.

Nicolò Fagioli (Juventus)

It could be a make-or-break campaign for the highly-rated midfielder after he served a seven-month ban for breaching betting regulations last season. Many questioned why Azzurri coach Luciano Spalletti chose him to play in Euro 2024 when the 23-year-old featured in just two league games following his ban.

Now the Piacenza-born man in the middle faces an arduous challenge to become a mainstay in Thiago Motta’s newly constructed midfield.

A passing virtuoso with the range to play in numerous midfield positions, the Italy international doesn’t lack ability, yet he has to show he has fully recovered from his unwanted spell on the sidelines.

Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta)

The most recent success story from La Dea’s famed youth academy is now on the verge of a call-up to the full Italy squad. It’s a testament to the Bergamo club’s commitment to developing players that the speedy left-back—who joined Atalanta at the age of 9—has progressed to the first team.

Gian Piero Gasperini will rely heavily on the home-grown defender again this term after a mightily impressive breakout season. Positionally adept, precise in the tackle and an expert crosser he was an integral part of Atalanta’s Europa League winning team.

Michael Kayode (Fiorentina)

The attack-minded right-back made huge strides in his first senior season at the Viola.

Capable of playing anywhere on the right-hand side, the 20-year-old’s tactical nous, rapid powers of recovery and forward dashes all marked him out as a name to remember. His excellent form in the 2023-2024 season inevitably attracted a horde of admirers from across Italy and beyond.

Whether Fiorentina decide to cash in on their prize asset before the transfer window closes remains unclear, but the former Juventus youth academy player will undoubtedly improve if he stays in Florence for a second top-flight campaign.

Giovanni Fabbian (Bologna)

Can the goalscoring attacking midfielder make the transition from squad member to irreplaceable regular? The 21-year-old Inter youth product certainly proved he can cut it at the highest level after claiming five goals in the Rossoblu’s memorable 2023-2024 campaign.

After a summer of significant departures, the Italian under-21 international must convince new Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano that he is worthy of a permanent starting place. A tenacious competitor with a proclivity for perfectly timed surges into the box, the ex-Reggina man has all the right characteristics to thrive again in Serie A this season.

Sebastiano Esposito (Empoli)

Now in his seventh loan spell from Inter, the attacker’s career is at a critical stage. The 22-year-old displayed glimpses of brilliance at Sampdoria in Serie B last season and returns to the Italian top flight for the first time since his brief breakthrough at the Nerazzurri five years ago.

While his talent is well known an extensive list of injuries have prevented the Italian under-21 from fulfilling his potential. When fit and healthy the striker has intermittently shown that he has everything needed to make it in Serie A. How he performs with the Tuscan underdogs will undoubtedly affect whether he stays at the highest level of football in Italy.

@SKasiewicz

Ché Adams proved his ambition by joining Torino after the end of his contract with Southampton, becoming the second Scot to play for the Granata after Dennis Law, writes Stephen Kasiewicz.

Torino’s capture of Scottish international Che Adams marked the latest of a small but growing trend of transfers from England to Italy this summer.

While Joshua Zirkzee (Manchester United), Caleb Okoli (Leicester City), Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea (Aston Villa), and Nikola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest) followed the money trail to the English Premier League, a select few have opted to take the reverse journey.

Attacker Adams rejected a new contract offer from promoted top-flight Premier League club Southampton and the opportunity to sign for Wolverhampton Wanderers before agreeing to a three-year deal with Toro.

It was not the most obvious move for the 28-year-old, yet he joins Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa to Juventus) and Ben Godfrey (Everton to Atalanta) in leaving England for Serie A.

The former Sheffield United and Birmingham City forward could have earned more money by staying in his comfort zone in a familiar location.

However, free agent Adams left cash on the table and signed for the Granata, embracing the challenge of a new league, country, and culture.

 

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A post shared by Ché Adams (@cheadams_)

Adams struck 16 times in the English Championship last term as Southampton sealed a return to the big time by defeating Leeds United in the lucrative second-tier play-off final at Wembley in May.

He endured an extremely underwhelming Euro 2024 with just two efforts on goal in three group games as Scotland exited the tournament early on.

None of the Scottish squad excelled as Steve Clarke’s side limped out of the competition, with Adams starting in the 5-1 thrashing against Germany, the stalemate with Switzerland, and the late defeat to Hungary.

The Leicester-born forward will be keen to erase all lingering memories of a substandard European championship as he starts a new chapter in Italy.

Torino coach Paolo Vanoli could pair Adams with freshly appointed club captain Duvan Zapata up front.

The Colombian established himself at one of Italy’s most historically successful clubs by netting 12 times following a switch from Atalanta last September.

Despite finishing in ninth position the Granata only scored 36 league goals – the fourth worst in Serie A with only Empoli (29), Salernitana (32), Lecce (32) below them – with Zapata accounting for a third of the total.

The acquisition of Scottish international Adams should ease the burden on the veteran ex-Sampdoria, Udinese, and Napoli frontman, who enjoyed a career renaissance last season.

Adams becomes just the second Scot to join the seven-time champions of Italy after the great Denis Law.

Law lasted just a single season in Italy after he arrived from Manchester City in the summer of 1961.

Official: Torino sign Scotland international Ché Adams

The Aberdeen-born forward was voted the top foreign player in Serie A after scoring 10 goals in 27 games. Yet he could not adapt to Toro’s intense training methods and struggled in an era of defensive catenaccio tactics in the Italian top flight. He also emerged unscathed after a car crash with team-mate Joe Baker in an eventful but ultimately unfulfilling spell in Piedmont.

Law, who is still highly regarded in Turin, went on to win the Ballon d’Or in 1964 and the European Cup (now Champions League) while at Manchester United.

Adams will not face any of the same obstacles encountered by the legendary Law as the ninth Scot to seal a move to Italy’s elite division.

Joe Jordan (Milan and Hellas Verona), Graeme Souness (Sampdoria), Liam Henderson (Hellas Verona and Empoli), Aaron Hickey (Bologna), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Josh Doig (Hellas Verona and Sassuolo) and Jack Hendry (Cremonese) have all featured in Italy’s top league.

Adams is expected to make his own small piece of history when Torino head to San Siro to take on Milan in the season opener on August 17.

It is the exception rather than the rule for any player to turn down the monetary rewards of English football to play in Italy, but Adams has already shown adventure and ambition in his latest career choice.

@SKasiewicz

The early signs suggest Antonio Conte can right the wrongs that plagued Napoli in a nightmare title defence, but Stephen Kasiewicz suggests the Italian tactician must face several challenges at the Stadio Maradona.

From earnest pledges to improve, notoriously intense training sessions and promises of a flexible playing strategy, the former Inter, Juventus and Italy coach has already made a forceful first impression. While pre-season rarely gives any real indication about what to expect in a new campaign, it is clear the 54-year-old will not settle for mediocrity.

The Conte era signals a new chapter for Napoli after the bedlam of a lamentable term in which they finished in 10th position – a whopping 41 points adrift of champions Inter. Yet there remain a considerable number of challenges to overcome as the Neapolitan club seek to become title contenders again.

Questions remain about the compatibility of President Aurelio De Laurentiis and Conte.

Conte on Napoli’s ‘phase two’, ‘clear’ Osimhen situation and ‘pros and cons’ seen at Chelsea

On the surface it appears a combustible combination. Neither could ever be described as shy and retiring. There is the temptation to envisage meetings between the pair sparking more fireworks than most July 4 celebrations and how they coexist will be crucial to Napoli’s aspirations this season.

Calm has prevailed so far, but it is worth remembering that De Laurentiis went through three coaches as the Partenopei plummeted down the standings and out of European contention. Rudi Garcia, Walter Mazzarri and Francesco Calzona all had spells in the Napoli hot seat as a porous defence conceded 48 goals.

Conte will not tolerate the same kind of rearguard capitulation again. It is no small task to construct a brand-new backline.

Yet, with freshly appointed sporting director Giovanni Manna leading player negotiations, De Laurentiis made good on his intention to spend time with a trio of new additions. Italian international centre-back Alessandro Buongiorno, Real Madrid-owned central defender Rafa Marin and wing-back Leonardo Spinazzola all joined in an impressive recruitment drive.

The capture of highly sought after Buongiorno – one of the best centre-backs in Serie A over the last couple of campaigns – also demonstrated the Conte effect in attracting the absolute best to the Campania capital.

Euro 2020 winner Spinazzola will be keen to re-establish himself after an injury-marred couple of seasons, while Marin gained plaudits in a successful loan spell at Alaves in La Liga last term.

In the daily game of deal or no deal hundreds of names have been mentioned as possible Partenopei acquisitions. Empty speculation aside, Napoli require at least one more defensive addition with more players set to leave before the season kicks-off next month.

Although top scorer Victor Osimhen has participated in Conte’s gruelling Dimaro training sessions, the Scudetto-winning striker is still expected to leave Italy this summer.

Osimhen’s destiny is written, but Napoli star would take a step forward with Conte

How the Lecce-born tactician reshapes the attack will also determine just how far Napoli can advance up the standings in the new campaign.

The prospect of the experienced Romelu Lukaku replacing masked superstar Osimhen is hardly likely to prompt street parties among the Napoli tifosi.

Nevertheless, the ex-Inter and Roma attacker has a proven track record in the Italian top flight and enjoys a special bond with Conte. There are certainly worse options around, despite the understandable reservations about Lukaku’s potential transfer from Chelsea.

Versatile forwards Giacomo Raspadori and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could both be given more prominent central roles in an attacking formation.

The coach known for his 3-5-2 configuration must also restore the self-esteem of a core group which faltered so badly last season.

How he rejuvenates the career of influential captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo – who admitted he pondered leaving before underlining his commitment to the club in a heartfelt open letter – after a nightmarish year will be crucial to squad morale.

Defender Amir Rrahmani and midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, who were both instrumental in Napoli’s historic third championship success, lost their mojos as the Partenopei fell away last term.

Conte must work his motivational magic to make the stalwart duo productive performers again.

The integration of returning loanees Elia Caprile (Empoli), Michael Folorunsho (Hellas Verona) and Gianluca Gaetano (Cagliari) into an already talented player pool should also provide valuable competition for places. The trio had already impressed Conte with exhausting training workouts, which led to some members of the squad collapsing.

Although there will inevitably be more departures and arrivals before the new season begins Conte has already set the tone for what lies ahead. There will be no room for passengers as the coach attempts to consign the ignominy of last season to distant memory quickly.

@SKasiewicz 

It has taken Thiago Motta just six years to progress from the bottom of the coaching ranks to one of the most sought-after tacticians in Europe: here’s how the ex-Italy international has taken the Rossoblu to the Champions League and became the leading candidate for the Juventus job.

The 41-year-old’s appointment at Bologna was not greeted with universal approval yet the former Italy international has led the Rossoblu to the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.

It is a monumental achievement for a coach who was belittled for suggesting the merits of a 2-7-2 formation when he transitioned from the pitch to the dugout with the Paris Saint-Germain under-19 squad.

Motta’s pathway to qualification for Europe’s top competition has been unconventional.

Sacked after just 10 games at the helm in Genoa the ex-Inter midfielder had to wait patiently before leading Spezia to safety in the 2021-2022 season. Drafted in when Bologna relieved Sinisa Mihajlovic of his duties in September 2022, the Brazilian-born coach was not greeted by hordes of cheering Rossoblu ultras.

Yet Motta guided the club to its best-ever points tally in the modern era—matching the 54 recorded by the 1963-1964 championship-winning team—as he steered the Emilia-Romagna club to ninth in the table.

Nobody foresaw such an improvement this term.

The benefits of a full pre-season as coach and excellent player recruitment, especially in defence, yielded spectacular results.

Motta’s willingness to adapt different strategies within a flexible formation while utilising every talented squad member produced a formidable team that was undaunted to duke it out with the Serie A heavyweights.

The young tactician ostensibly lined up his side in a 4-3-3 configuration with an emphasis on the flanks. It has also been interpreted as 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1 depending on his starting XI. Yet there has been consistency in the deployment of a back four, a holding midfielder, two wingers and a lone forward.

Motta favours an advanced press to suffocate the opposition and retrieve possession rapidly. A calculated build-up from the back aims to manipulate occupied areas, as the widemen rarely stray from the touchlines.

Everyone tracks back as Bologna resembles two blocks of four and five when defending their goal. It is a mixture of pragmatic and creative, as Motta’s side’s fitness and physical tenacity have proved the difference in several big games.

An animated and motivational presence on the sidelines, the former Inter treble winner clearly has the respect of a committed player pool. Before an extremely unfortunate season-ending injury, Lewis Ferguson established himself as one of the leaders in a side with multiple match winners.

The Scottish midfielder’s link-up play with Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee had been a hallmark of a Rossoblu side which patiently dictates from the back.

Motta transformed former full-back Riccardo Calafiori into a ball-playing central defender with a license to roam forward. The ex-Roma youth product now looks certain to be part of Luciano Spalletti’s Italy squad at the European Championships after an outstanding campaign.

Although there are reliable mainstays—Austrian full-back Stefan Posch, Colombian stopper Jhon Lucumi, and Dutch centre-back Sam Beukema in defence, Swiss midfielder anchor Remo Freuler, and Zirkzee upfront—Motta has often rotated his squad, leaving key players out.

Even star winger Riccardo Orsolini has not been guaranteed a starting place as the coach has tweaked his team with surprising regularity.

It is a testament to Motta’s decision-making and man-management that no schisms have emerged in the 24-strong squads despite the changes.

His ability to keep fringe players fresh and focused should not be underestimated either.

Motta has not left anyone on the bench permanently.

Italian under-21 cap Giovanni Fabbian, Moroccan international Oussama El Azzouzi and versatile Danish forward Jens Odgaard have all made vital contributions when called upon. Backup goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia has also played his part in place of regular first-choice Lukasz Skorupski.

Without such a unified effort the Rossoblu’s advance up the standings would not have been possible. Success inevitably attracts admirers and Motta might be coaching a different club in the Champions League next term.

It has been widely reported for weeks that Juventus, who travel to Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on Monday night, want the Brazilian-born coach to replace Massimiliano Allegri.

Regardless of where he ends up, the innovative young tactician can look back on a milestone campaign that will be remembered for years to come in Bologna.

@SKasiewicz

Aberdeen midfielder Connor Barron could be the next Scot to feature in Italian football as his agent has met both Cagliari and Sassuolo.

Relegation-threatened Sassuolo and Cagliari are both tracking the Scottish under-21 international with a view to a permanent summer transfer, sources confirm to Football Italia after reports emerged in the UK.

The 21-year-old is set to leave the Scottish Premiership club after coming through the youth ranks at the Dons with Italy a possible destination.

Both Sassuolo and Cagliari have sent scouts to monitor Barron this term, with the midfielder available for a €585,000 training compensation fee, according to Scottish football transfers expert Scott Burns.

The versatile midfielder, who is out of contract at the end of this season, has played 12 times for the Scotland under-21 side including once as captain.

Barron would join international team-mate Josh Doig at Sassuolo, although any potential move could be dependent on whether the second-bottom Neroverdi avoid the drop this season.

Cagliari, who sit four points clear of the relegation zone in 14th place, will hold an advantage in the race to sign the midfielder if they manage to retain their top flight status.

Only seven Scottish players have featured in Serie A – including Denis Law (Torino), Joe Jordan (Milan and Hellas Verona), Graeme Souness (Sampdoria) and Aaron Hickey (Bologna) – with Doig and Lewis Ferguson (Bologna) currently playing at the highest level of Italian football.

Ferguson, who will miss the rest of the Rossoblu’s season after sustaining a cruciate ligament injury in last weekend’s goalless draw with Monza, also made the move from Aberdeen to Italy in the summer of 2022. The 24-year-old has been targeted by all of Italy’s top clubs after playing a pivotal role in Bologna’s rise to fourth place in the table this term.

@SKasiewicz

There has been a takeover, four seasons in the second tier and two promotions since the last time Bologna played in Europe. Few will even remember the club’s run to the final of 2002 Intertoto Cup as the Rossoblu target a Champions League place in the final stretch of a remarkable campaign.

From financial ruin and the depths of Serie B there is now the genuine prospect of Bologna competing against the continent’s elite next term. The Emilia-Romagna club can round off an exceptional season if they remain in fourth position with just nine games left.

From the steady leadership of owner Joey Saputo, expert recruitment of technical director Giovanni Sartori and Thiago Motta’s masterful coaching, the Bologna revival has been a collaborative union built on a model of financial prudence.

Canadian businessman Saputo – who assumed control of the club in October 2014 – has made numerous off the field changes without plunging the Rossoblu into debt with lavish signings.

Instead Sartori, who worked wonders at Atalanta, has scoured the globe to bring value for money buys and cost-effective loans to Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.

In his first full season in charge Motta has moulded a multi-talented squad into an unremitting, industrious unit. There was a degree of risk when Saputo appointed the former Inter midfielder in September 2022 after mixed coaching spells at Genoa and Spezia. Yet the 41-year-old has managed to turn his fault-finders into admirers with a spirited charge into the top four.

The Brazilian-born former Italy international was known for his tenacity and perseverance in a glittering playing career and has shaped a team with a never-say-die attitude.

Bologna have come back from losing positions to earn points on seven separate occasions – including impressive draws at the San Siro against both Inter and Milan – and scored five goals beyond the 90-minute mark this term.

The Rossoblu have conceded the third fewest goals in Serie A as Motta has fostered an all-encompassing approach to defending. It is just one part of a methodology which emphasizes a swarming press to win possession while patiently building from the back via the flanks.

Motta has utilized almost every member of a multi-faceted player pool, frequently switching wingers and making late impact substitutions.

There is no disputing the collective effort in Bologna’s rise up the table which has prompted pundits to label them as a team without any star players.

Whether Scottish midfielder Lewis Ferguson and Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee deserve top billing is a moot point, both have been outstanding throughout the campaign.

It is difficult to imagine the Emilia-Romagna club in such an exalted position if they were deprived of a duo who have combined for 16 goals and six assists in 29 Serie A games. The attacking interplay of Ferguson and Zirkzee has been a notable feature of Bologna’s final third activity, especially their ability to generate openings in enclosed areas.

It is a mark of Ferguson’s improvement under Motta that he was rewarded with the club captaincy after consistently delivering excellent performances.

The 24-year-old is comfortable anywhere in the middle of the park and has already struck six times, while the quick footwork and finishing of Zirkzee have made Rossoblu fans forget all about the departure of veteran striker Marko Arnautovic last August.

How Bologna copes with the injury enforced absence of the 22-year-old Dutchman, who has 10 league goals for the season, could be a vital factor in their quest to reach the Champions League.

Other key contributors include former Roma full-back Riccardo Calafiori, who has flourished after moving into central defence, skilful winger Riccardo Orsolini and on-loan Inter midfielder Giovanni Fabbian. Italian international Orsolini (9) and under-21 cap Fabbian (5) have both registered crucial goals in a team which contains one of the most dependable backlines in the division.

Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski, Dutch centre-back Sam Beukema and experienced Swiss midfield anchor Remo Freuler are among those who might not make the headlines. Yet they have all played essential parts in making the Rossoblu one of the hardest teams to beat in the Italian top flight.

Motta’s strength in numbers strategy indicates that everyone will have a role to play as Bologna enter the concluding phase of the campaign, starting with games against relegation candidates Salernitana and Frosinone.

Trips to fellow Champions League contenders Roma and Napoli, and a penultimate home meeting with Juventus await in what has already been a season for the ages.

For one of the most historically successful clubs in Italy – the Rossoblu have won seven Scudetti and the Coppa Italia twice – any kind of success is long overdue.

It has been 22 years since Bologna finished in seventh place and qualified for Europe.

The next two months will determine whether Motta’s side can finally consign both achievements to the record books by clinching a coveted spot in the Champions League.

@SKasiewicz

Napoli limped out of the Champions League after an error-filled 3-1 defeat at Barcelona: here are three talking points by Stephen Kasiewicz.

The Partenopei failed to advance beyond the last 16 of the competition on a night to forget at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Catalonia. Barça surged ahead through a quickfire brace from Fermin Lopez and Joao Cancelo as the La Liga side consistently exploited huge gaps in the Napoli defence.

Central defender Amir Rrahmani finished off a brilliant move to give Francesco Calzona’s team hope before the break.

Yet after an encouraging second-half spell, Barca eventually took control, as veteran Polish striker Robert Lewandowski struck a third late on to end the tie.

Here are three talking points from Napoli’s Champions League exit.

Two minutes of madness

Napoli’s Champions League ambitions all but ended in a ruinous spell of 120 seconds.

Overwhelmed on the flanks and wide open in the middle Barcelona plundered two goals on 15 and 17 minutes as the link between the Partenopei rearguard and midfield completely disintegrated.

Defensive calamities were common as the Campania club faltered under previous coaches Rudi Garcia and Walter Mazzarri.

President Aurelio De Laurentiis attempted to stop the rot with the appointment of Calzona yet it looked as if nothing had changed as Napoli capitulated again on the big stage.

Although Rrahmani’s excellent strike provided a glimmer of positivity the Gli Azzurri collapsed as Barca burst through the lines at will after Napoli began the second period purposefully. Despite the onslaught, substitute Jesper Lindstrom failed to convert a huge chance to equalise just before Lewandowski netted Barca’s third.

Napoli made history by qualifying for the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time last season. Now there is the distinct possibility they won’t clinch a place in the revamped version of Europe’s top competition next term. As if things weren’t bad enough the loss also ensured that Napoli missed out on a place in the 2025 World Club Cup.

Star duo lack sparkle

Neither attacker Victor Osimhen nor winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia dazzled when Napoli needed them most.

Osimhen registered just a single shot in what was probably his final Champions League game in a Napoli shirt, while Kvaratskhelia went close twice on a disappointing evening for the scintillating forward tandem.

While it would be unfair to question the application of the stellar pair neither of them could provide any kind of magical spark to ignite the Partenopei in yet another dispiriting chapter of a dismal campaign.

Osimhen had a legitimate claim for a penalty ignored after Barcelona teenage defender Pau Cubarsi made contact with the Nigerian striker’s foot early in the second period.

Yet the 25-year-old was starved of supply as in-form Kvaratskhelia couldn’t reproduce his excellent recent Serie A form.

Osimhen will almost certainly depart Napoli when the season ends, while the ever-present President De Laurentiis suggested he would also sell Kvaratskhelia if the club received a high enough bid. Regardless, it was an undignified end for the Partenopei partnership in Europe’s premier club tournament.

The case for a new defence

It’s no secret that a major backline overhaul is required as a youthful Barca side speedily outmanoeuvred the one-paced Napoli defence.

The Partenopei back four were static observers as the home side repeatedly weaved and slalomed a path towards Alex Meret’s goal, particularly in a worrying opening half.

All of the Napoli outfield defensive starters were 30 years old and over, as Calzona resisted the urge to give Natan, 23, and Leo Ostigard, 24, any playing time. Whether the relatively young pair would have been able to do anything to stem the tide is another question entirely.

Rrahmani scored a superb goal on a rare forward advance and while Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Mario Rui were both intermittent offensive threats, a lack of rearguard mobility again proved Napoli’s downfall.

There is a legitimate argument that President De Laurentiis needs to spend money on at least two new central defenders in the summer—and not cut price bargains for unknowns. Napoli will not progress quickly if they stick with the same defence next term.

@SKasiewicz

When Napoli put five past fierce rivals Juventus in January 2023 in front of a euphoric Stadio Diego Maradona it accelerated their charge to a milestone title: Stephen Kasiewicz explains how things have changed for the defending Serie A champions since.

The rout that reverberated around Italy marked a stunning high point in Napoli’s historic third Scudetto success.

The Old Lady eventually sank to seventh in a forgettable campaign in which they were docked 10 points for financial irregularities related to player values.

The emphatic 5-1 win remains the stand-out result in Napoli’s season for the ages.

Yet the trajectories of the two clubs have differed wildly as they meet again in the Campania capital on Sunday.

The reigning champions have hovered just above mid-table and face the galling prospect of missing out on European football next term.

While the Bianconeri occupy a coveted Champions League spot in second place as the latest money spinning iteration of club football’s most prestigious competition launches next season.

There’s barely enough time left for Napoli to emerge with anything to show from a year wrecked by inadequate recruitment, dreadful coaching choices and a string of morale-sapping defeats.

It’s been a catastrophic turnaround after dominating the 2022-2023 edition of Serie A to such an extent that they finished 16 points clear at the peak of the classifica.

The Partenopei marched towards a glorious third championship after they stunned Juve under the lights at a packed Maradona.

The resounding 5-1 victory showcased everything good about Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli. A purposeful performance of high intensity pressing, swift interplay and devastating counters all set to a hypnotizing tempo.

The almost telepathic connection between Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia resulted in three goals with Amir Rrahmani and Eljif Elmas also on target.

Any prospect of a repeat result seems preposterous with Napoli still finding their feet under new coach Francesco Calzona.

Spalletti’s former assistant at least appears to have brought a modicum of stability to a squad left dazed and confused by the highly debatable methods deployed by both Rudi Garcia and Walter Mazzarri. The Frenchman replaced Spalletti but was a disaster from the beginning, while veteran tactician Mazzarri stumbled from one bad decision to another as Napoli plummeted down the standings.

President Aurelio De Laurentiis went to great lengths to blame himself for Spalletti’s departure and Napoli’s Annus horribilis in a highly detailed outpouring in front of the media. Yet the colourful film producer cannot be expected to shoulder all the responsibility for the failure to overcome teams that were soundly dismissed last term.

While his constant presence in the Napoli dressing room on match days can be viewed as questionable at best, an accomplished group of internationals have frequently let themselves down.

There’s no need to take a quantum leap into the convoluted universe of analytics when trying to explain why veterans can’t execute the fundamentals or make amateurish errors.

Unfamiliar team line-ups, formations, tactics and befuddling substitutions certainly haven’t helped. None of last summer’s fresh additions have noticeably enhanced the squad either.

In what is likely to be the final stage of Osimhen’s Napoli career – with cash-rich clubs from England and France willing to meet his €130 million release clause – the Nigerian forward still has a decisive role to play before departing Italy.

The 25-year-old was at his ruthless best as he struck a hat-trick in the 6-1 demolition of Sassuolo. Kvaratskhelia also netted twice against the most accommodating of opponents as the Neroverdi all but surrendered at Mapei Stadium.

While the Georgian winger has often been enveloped in frustration, nobody can question his perseverance or willingness to carve open defences despite being persistently fouled this term.

The magical attacking tandem glittered on a night to remember as they downed Juventus in front of an enraptured Neapolitan crowd in January 2023.

They must step up again as a resurgent Bianconeri target reprisal in the latest instalment of a rivalry which has only intensified in the last decade.

@SKasiewicz

Struggling Napoli meet Fiorentina in the Supercoppa semi-final on Thursday and Stephen Kasiewicz feels it is the only realistic target the Partenopei can play for this season.

When Napoli began their title defence the Supercoppa Italiana was an afterthought rather than an objective.

Now it’s the Neapolitan club’s only realistic opportunity to claim a trophy in a substandard campaign littered with poor results and off-the-field controversy.

From a magnificent third Scudetto the champions have ungraciously fallen to eighth place in the standings and sit an incredible 20 points adrift of leaders Inter. Any lingering possibility of a fourth Serie A success vanished weeks ago.

Dumped out of the Coppa Italia by Frosinone the Partenopei face Spanish heavyweights Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16 next month.

In a wildly unpredictable term, it’s not unfeasible that Napoli could progress against the Catalan giants, but their chances of winning the ultimate European prize are slim to none.

Supercoppa: Napoli-Fiorentina, probable line-ups

While securing a place in next year’s newly restructured and lucrative edition of the Champions League is the ultimate objective, there is silverware to be won in Saudi Arabia.

The reigning league champions take on Fiorentina in the new cash-laden Supercoppa Italiana mini-tournament on Thursday in Riyadh, with the winners meeting Inter or Lazio in the final.

While the cup competition is not exactly a mouthwatering prospect for a Napoli support left aghast and bamboozled at the club’s indifferent form it could represent a turning point this season.

Amir Rrahmani’s late winner against Salernitana broke a winless streak of three games and, if nothing else, acted as an emotional release for a beleaguered squad. It’s been a galling comedown from the glory of claiming an utterly dominant championship victory in an unforgettable 2022-2023 season.

The double departure of title-winning coach Luciano Spalletti and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli left Napoli rudderless before the campaign kicked off.

President Aurelio De Laurentiis attempted to steady the ship by inexplicably hiring Rudi Garcia.

The Frenchman’s tenure was a failure waiting to happen. While a poor summer recruitment drive didn’t help matters Garcia immediately caused divisions and angered the star duo of Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Mazzarri: ‘Napoli had lost a little confidence, victory did us good’

Unfamiliar with the squad, the former Roma tactician had no clear strategy, and made strange team selections and substitutions. Deficiencies in defence were ruthlessly exposed as Lazio claimed victory at Stadio Diego Maradona in the third round of fixtures after opening wins against Frosinone and Sassuolo.

The gaping void left by the loss of defensive colossus Kim Min-jae proved to be a major Achilles’ heel as the situation deteriorated rapidly.

Incoherent, confused, and frustrated, the players who won the Scudetto at a canter almost wholly lost their sparkle. Rrahmani and Juan Jesus were frequently exposed as Stanislav Lobotka and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa couldn’t clog the gaps in midfield. New Brazilian central defender Natan wasn’t ready to become a regular while Jens Cajuste and Jesper Lindstrom made next to no impact at all. Even the club’s star duo lacked the charisma which cast a spell on Serie A the previous term.

Kvaratskhelia was incensed as Garcia replaced him late on as Napoli drew 2-2 at Genoa. Osimhen visibly questioned the coach’s approach after being hauled off as the Partenopei recorded a goalless draw at Bologna.

The Nigerian missed a penalty in the defeat but worse was to follow.

Bizarre official club social media posts appeared to mock the star striker’s spot-kick failure creating unnecessary agitation and unwanted publicity for last season’s Capocannoniere.

Although thumping victories over Udinese and Lecce somewhat papered over the cracks, Garcia’s time in charge slowly wound down to a complete halt.

Ripped apart in a woeful 3-1 home reversal to Fiorentina on matchday eight Garcia’s position looked increasingly unstable.

De Laurentiis and Napoli confirm Traore signing

Although the Frenchman guided Napoli to the brink of the Champions League knock-out stages it wasn’t enough to safeguard his job.

A rousing comeback earned the Partenopei a morale-boosting point as Milan ran riot in a lopsided first half in a scintillating 2-2 stalemate at home in late October 2023. Yet it was all over for Garcia as lowly Empoli dramatically snatched a late winner in front of a stunned home crowd in the 12th round of fixtures.

Former coach Walter Mazzarri was brought in as a stopgap to stem the tide until the season’s end. Yet Napoli’s descent down the classifica intensified despite a promising opening victory at Atalanta.

Title favourites Inter silenced Stadio Diego Maradona as they registered an empathic three-goal win, and a week later, Gli Azzurri fell to defeat at Juventus.

Any thought of a title repeat ended as Napoli fell to fifth in the table.

Mazzarri did oversee a two-goal triumph over Braga as the Neapolitan club advanced out of the Champions League group stages.

Napoli and Politano reach agreement over contract extension

Osimhen scored and laid on a world-class fantasy football assist to Kvaratskhelia as the stellar pair combined to down Cagliari in mid-December last year.

Yet it all unravelled as veteran Mazzarri couldn’t organise or motivate a side that buckled under even the slightest pressure. A largely second-string Napoli were unceremoniously bundled out of the Coppa Italia as Frosinone plundered four second-half goals on a night to forget for the normally reliable captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

A combative Roma aggressively ground out a two-goal win as Matteo Politano – one of the few to consistently shine in the early part of the campaign -, and Osimhen were sent off.

Napoli couldn’t find a way beyond an obdurate Monza as they dropped to seventh after a dismal home stalemate and were thrashed 3-0 after meekly submitting at Torino earlier this month. The calls for Mazzarri’s dismissal grew in the aftermath of the Toro humiliation as the 62-year-old proved to be an even worse appointment than Garcia.

With few realistic options to replace him, the experienced tactician was still in charge as the last-gasp win over Salernitana gave the squad a much-needed confidence boost before flying out to Saudi Arabia.

Of all the trophies on offer, the Supercoppa Italiana is the least coveted.

Even if Napoli emerge victorious it won’t appease Tifosi who were left reeling by the perplexing decisions of De Laurentiis and mediocre displays of players that created history last term. Yet it could be the only high point in a nightmarish campaign of missteps and misdirection which few will remember with any fondness.

@SKasiewicz

The unrelenting rumour mill churns out a slew of names connected with Italy’s top clubs every day but only a small fraction of the innumerable speculative deals become a reality. While it’s unrealistic for Serie A’s big hitters to overhaul their squads in the upcoming transfer window, there will undoubtedly be activity in January.

Football Italia examines the positions the leading clubs in Italy need to address next month.      

Inter

There are no obvious weaknesses in the Nerazzurri’s deep squad. Despite rumblings of discontent about the reliability of backup strikers Alexis Sanchez and Marko Arnautovic, the table toppers are on the hunt for a right-sided midfielder.

Colombia international Juan Cuadrado will be sidelined for the next three months after undergoing an operation on a long-term Achilles injury.

Regular right-wing back Denzel Dumfries has also been out of action which means Inter are likely to bring in at least one new player in January. The league leaders have set their sights on Canadian international Tajon Buchanan and will attempt to broker a deal with Club Brugge for the 24-year-old during the transfer window. 

Juventus

The rejuvenated Bianconeri look set to bolster their midfield in January.

Massimiliano Allegri has navigated the Old Lady into title contention and would welcome a new man in the middle to amp up his squad. England international Kalvin Phillips, 28, has been continually mentioned as a Juve target.

The Manchester City player has been out of the picture for the reigning English Premier League champions and would relish the chance of more game time in Italy. Tottenham Hotspur’s Danish midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is also on Juve’s radar as a potential new recruit. Surely, the Bianconeri will need at least one central midfielder to cope with the suspensions of Paul Pogba and Nicolò Fagioli.

Milan

A defensive crisis forced coach Stefano Pioli into fielding left-sided wing-back Theo Hernandez as a makeshift central defender.

The Rossoneri should prioritize a new centre-back after injuries to Malick Thiaw, Pierre Kalulu and Simon Kjaer left Milan with no option but to play the ultra-attacking Hernandez in a distinctly unfamiliar role.

Right-back Davide Calabria has been the target of an outpouring of criticism this term, and if Milan is to maintain their place in the top four, they need to add an experienced and versatile defender. The Rossoneri may also look for a new striker despite Luka Jovic’s recent goals against Frosinone, Atalanta and Salernitana.    

Napoli

The reigning Serie A champions have leaked goals at an alarming rate and urgently require a stopper to plug the gaps at the back.

The Partenopei failed to bring in an adequate replacement for title-winning defensive star Kim Min-Jae and have struggled to keep pace with the league leaders as a result.

Stalwarts Amir Rrahmani and Juan Jesus have formed an unsteady partnership in central defence as summer capture Natan has been gradually integrated into the Napoli first team. Much depends on just how much club president Aurelio De Laurentiis is prepared to spend in order to shore up Napoli’s faltering rearguard, but the club owner has already anticipated that he will try to sign a central defender, a right-back who can let Giovanni Di Lorenzo rest and a central midfielder to replace the departing Eljif Elmas.

Roma

Jose Mourinho has made it clear he requires a fresh face in defence when the January window opens.

Deprived of influential English centre-back Chris Smalling and Albanian international Marash Kumbulla through injury all season and with Evan N’Dicka involved in the AFCON in January, the Giallorossi need to boost their backline options.

Roma could shop in the English Premier League as Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea) and Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur) have been linked with moves to the capital club. Bound by strict budgetary limitations, Roma won’t break the bank as they seek a new defensive addition next month.  

@SKasiewicz 

One man was deemed culpable for Napoli’s faltering title defence, yet Stephen Kasiewicz asks if in the endless blame game, Rudi Garcia was solely liable for the Partenopei’s underwhelming opening to the campaign.

The French coach paid the price as owner Aurelio De Laurentiis finally fired him with Napoli 10 points adrift of leaders Inter at the top of Serie A. Veteran Walter Mazzarri was drafted in until the end of the season in another unanticipated move.

While most Napoli fans held Garcia and the free-spoken De Laurentiis responsible for the club’s mixed results, others disagreed. A section of the Partenopei ultras pointed the finger at the squad despite the historic Scudetto victory last term.

One banner doesn’t represent an entire fanbase yet how Mazzarri fosters a positive relationship with the players will shape the rest of the campaign.

Garcia’s shock appointment wasn’t well received by the Napoli tifosi and the former Roma tactician failed to connect with a squad still reeling from Luciano Spalletti’s departure.

The French coach deployed a baffling series of strategies and made bizarre substitutions at key moments. Napoli’s backline and midfield occasionally operated in different postcodes and were particularly susceptible to the transition. Lazio and Fiorentina picked them apart on the counter in two alarming league defeats.  

Garcia’s time was up as soon as it emerged De Laurentiis had entered the dressing room in an attempt to rouse the players on two separate occasions against Milan and Union Berlin in the Champions League.    

Even the star duo of  Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – who had both lavished praise on the inspirational Spalletti – couldn’t deliver under Garcia.

As Napoli misfired early on Osimhen openly questioned his substitution as they sought a late winner in a scoreless draw at Bologna. Kvaratskhelia couldn’t contain his frustration as Garcia took him off as the Campania club recovered from two goals down to claim a point at Genoa.

Misjudged social media posts and interminable speculation about a new contract undoubtedly affected Osimhen. Kvaratskhelia had intermittently sparkled and hadn’t been able to add the finishing touch, most notably as Napoli salvaged a draw at home to Milan and late on as Empoli left Stadio Diego Maradona with an unlikely victory to seal Garcia’s fate. The Georgian seemed in an entirely different mood on Mazzarri’s debut as he scored the opener in an away 2-1 win at Atalanta and even kissed his new coach after the final whistle.

In his second spell at the club, the experienced tactician must coax the best out of a partnership that flourished as Napoli sauntered to clinch a historic third title last term. Undoubtedly, the devastating double act is among the best in Europe while firing on all cylinders.   

While Giacomo Raspadori – partly in Osimhen’s injury-enforced absence – and Matteo Politano have excelled, the same cannot be said for a handful of last year’s champions.

It’s not as if the all-conquering Scudetto heroes have transmogrified into hapless duds in the space of a few months. Yet only a few have consistently merited pass marks as Napoli struggled to keep pace with the early frontrunners. 

We haven’t always witnessed the best versions of defensive stalwart Amir Rrahmani or the stellar midfield pair of Stanislav Lobotka and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.

Of the summer signings only Brazilian stopper Natan has been given adequate playing time to impress. Swedish midfielder Jens Cajuste needs more minutes to fully adapt to Serie A, while Danish winger Jesper Lindstrom has rarely been on the field.

Mazzarri won’t be able to satisfy everyone but the criminally underused Elif Elmas surely has a role to play as Napoli enters an incredibly demanding set of fixtures. It’s no coincidence that the North Macedonia international was decisive on Mazzarri’s second debut as Napoli coach, scoring the winner against La Dea on Saturday.

The defending Serie A champions will need more of the same and the entire Partenopei squad must step up now that the Tuscan-born tactician will lead them into away games at Real Madrid and Juventus and a home showdown against Inter in his first month in charge.

The early signs are promising, but how they emerge from the next three matches could define an already chaotic season marked by confusion and discontent.

@SKasiewicz

An illustrated children’s book inspired by Sampdoria’s historic 1990-1991 Serie A title success has been translated into English.

Once upon a Samp tells the story of Roberto (Mancini) and Luca (Vialli) who dream of winning against a team of seemingly unbeatable stronger kids on their neighbourhood field. The arrival of Grandpa Vuja, Mr. Paolo and a host of new teammates help to change their fortunes with all the odds stacked against them.

Emphasizing the importance of friendship and to never stop following your dreams, the book is aimed at children aged three to six years old. It pays homage to Samp’s fairy tale Scudetto victory when the goal twins of Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli fired the Genoa club to an incredible underdog triumph.

Benevolent president Paolo Mantovani and coach Vujadin Boskov led Doria to their only title when Serie A was at its undoubted peak. A team which contained club legends Gianluca Pagliuca, Moreno Mannini, Pietro Vierchowod, Fausto Pari, Toninho Cerezo and Attilio Lombardo entered the 1990-1991 campaign as outsiders with a host of Italian giants favoured to win the championship.

Milan boasted the phenomenal Dutch trio of Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit and Marco Van Basten as well as Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini, while Inter had the German triumvirate of Lothar Matthaus, Jurgen Klinsmann, and Andreas Brehme, Juventus lined up with Roberto Baggio and Salvatore Schillachi and reigning champions Napoli were spearheaded by Diego Maradona and Careca.

Few tipped Samp as champions yet united by friendship and a long-held desire to win the ultimate prize, Vialli and Mancini played pivotal roles as Doria claimed an unforgettable first title.

The children’s book – illustrated by Chiara Giolito, written by Matteo Politanò and translated into English by Simone Calucci and Maria Carola Masetti – uses the Scudetto win as the basis for a modern day tale of football achievement.         

“I was at the stadium when Sampdoria won the Scudetto,” explains Giolito.

“In 1991 I was a child, but my father’s emotion conveyed to me the joy of a unique sporting fairy tale. We just wanted to bring it back to life for those who didn’t have the luck to be there that day and see such a strong Sampdoria.”

The original Italian version of the book – Once Upon a Samp (C’era una volta la Samp) – was published last year and proved popular among Blucerchiati supporters. Demand from Samp fans across the world led to an English version of the story.

“It was a lot of fun to make the story of that season playful. We wanted to give all the children of today the chance to live that dream,” Giolito continues.

“It’s a book designed for kids but also for parents. By reading it to their little ones, they can relive that magical achievement, a tale they truly experienced and that deserves to be told forever.”

Once Upon a Samp is available to buy on Amazon and at blucerchiando.com

@SKasiewicz

There has been a season’s worth of needless drama crammed into the space of three months as Napoli have stuttered to establish themselves under coach Rudi Garcia, writes Stephen Kasiewicz.

From the exaggerated controversy of ill-considered social media posts, supposed player unrest, forthright agent demands and a president unafraid to voice his opinion on anything and everything, the Partenopei have struggled amid a catalogue of unnecessary off-the-field chaos.

Uninhibited owner Aurelio De Laurentiis publicly questioned Garcia while opting not to fire him and free agent coach Antonio Conte ruled out a return to the dugout at the Stadio Maradona or elsewhere. Never one to stay silent he also raged that Serie A would cease to exist in a bitter diatribe about television rights.

Amid the glut of sensational headlines, Napoli have stumbled to keep any lingering title hopes alive.

The reigning Italian champions sit seven points adrift of leaders Inter after another Jekyll and Hyde performance in a thrillingly imbalanced 2-2 home stalemate with Milan.

Charitable in defence and transfixed by the forward manoeuvers of the men in red and black in a bewildering opening half Garcia made personnel and tactical changes to rescue a point after the break.

Without injured attacking talisman Victor Osimhen, the French coach started with Giacomo Raspadori up front before bringing on centre-forward Giovanni Simeone in the second half. A positional switch provided Italy international Raspadori more freedom to initiate behind his Argentinian team-mate and he curled in a sublime free-kick to level after Matteo Politano’s brilliant solo strike.

The irrepressible Khvicha Kvaratskhelia almost snatched a winner before the final whistle yet the image of the Georgian winger stretched out on the turf in utter frustration summed up a fractured start to the campaign.

The aggressive pressing and brisk movement on and off the ball during a pulsating second period bore all the hallmarks of Luciano Spalletti’s champions. Yet the failure to capitalise and seize a third as Milan clung on the ropes summed up the shortcomings of Garcia’s Napoli.  

Much was made of the French tactician’s adherence to the 4-3-3 system in which the Campania club thrived under Spalletti’s guidance. It simply hasn’t functioned the same way this time around.

While a host of lamentable individual mistakes have blighted the Partenopei, most notably in the collapses against both Lazio and Fiorentina, it’s a collective breakdown in the defensive and midfield units that has been most alarming.

Wide open expanses have emerged out of possession as Napoli continually lose all sense of position and composure. Milan could easily have been out of sight in a stunning first-half stretch where they had an excess of room to test a badly exposed Alex Meret. 

An alteration in the formation might succeed in closing the gaps although there’s a sense that any coach was doomed to failure after Spalletti’s near-perfect title-winning term. None of Napoli’s rivals look likely to fall away this season either.

Garcia certainly hasn’t won over the critics despite two hard-fought Champions League away victories at Braga and Union Berlin.

Calls for his dismissal will continue unabated as five wins from the opening 10 league games is an unsatisfactory return for a richly talented squad equipped to contest at the very top of the Classifica. A vocal section of the club’s supporters already think he’s been given too much time at the helm. It will take something extraordinary to change their minds. 

Injuries aside Napoli have only failed to score once in all competitions this term (in the goalless draw at Bologna) yet it’s the fragility of their backline which is still a major cause for concern. Natan’s late red card at Stadio Maradona won’t make things any easier.

The next trio of Serie A fixtures could seal Garcia’s fate as anything less than maximum points against Salernitana (away), Empoli (home) and Atalanta (away) will leave the Partenopei irretrievably detached from the leaders. 

Expect more incident, excitement and commotion in what could be a decisive November for a club playing well below expectations in an already fraught campaign. 

@SKasiewicz

Only an unlucky Alex Meret’s own goal prevented Napoli from earning a point against perennial Champions League favourites Real Madrid: here are Stephen Kasiewicz’s three talking points from the Stadio Maradona clash.

The reigning Serie A champions lost 3-2 against the Spanish giants on a thrilling night in Campania.

Leo Ostigard headed the Partenopei ahead before the 14-time European champions hit back through Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham in an eventful first half.

Piotr Zielinski calmly levelled from the spot after the break as Napoli dominated for large portions of the second period. Yet Carlo Ancelotti’s side claimed victory in fortuitous fashion as Federico Valverde’s thunderous strike rebounded off Meret and into the net.

The Partenopei can take encouragement from a spirited display as they are well placed to progress from the group stage despite the defeat.

Here are three talking points from Napoli’s dramatic Champions League loss.  

Garcia’s tactics just fall short

Calls for the French coach to be sacked have subsided yet his game plan wasn’t always effective in front of a frenzied crowd at Stadio Diego Maradona. A concentrated high press and overloads in wide areas stretched the play but often left wide-open gaps that Real Madrid mercilessly capitalised on.

Despite passages of brisk interplay, the Partenopei couldn’t keep up the quick tempo and Carlo Ancelotti’s side found unoccupied avenues when Napoli relinquished possession.

Bellingham intercepted a stray pass from Giovanni Di Lorenzo to set up Vinicius Junior for the equaliser. The England international wasn’t tracked properly as he waltzed through to score a brilliant second. André-Frank Zambo Anguissa was stranded upfield and failed to challenge the 20-year-old midfield prodigy with Ostigard badly exposed in the heart of the defence.

The untimely substitutions of Napoli’s two best players on the night – Zielinski and Matteo Politano – were questionable as Garcia’s team again launched too many long balls in the general direction of lone striker Victor Osimhen.

• Read more – UCL: Napoli player ratings in 3-2 defeat against Real Madrid

Learning process for inexperienced defensive duo 

Nobody envisaged a starting central defensive partnership of Leo Ostigard, 23, and Natan, 22, in Napoli’s highest-profile Champions League home group match.

Injuries to Amir Rrahmani and Juan Jesus forced Garcia into fielding the uninitiated pairing and neither disgraced themselves on the big stage.

The unfamiliar combination were tested to the absolute limit as Real Madrid threatened to run riot in a jittery opening period. The Brazilian marked his full debut in Europe’s premier competition with a proliferation of hopeful passes towards Osimhen, yet didn’t commit any glaring mistakes.

He struck the bar with a header as Kepa Arrizabalaga completely misjudged Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s corner and Ostigard followed up to emphatically claim his second goal of the season.

Both were caught in no man’s land as Di Lorenzo’s misplaced pass eventually led to Real Madrid’s equaliser. The Norwegian international was then left isolated as Bellingham powered through to send the away side ahead. 

The pair settled as Napoli levelled after the break and neither were culpable as Valverde plundered a fortunate winner.

Despite being part of a backline that conceded three times the defensive counterparts displayed an admirable sense of purpose while facing one of the continent’s most intimidating clubs.

Ostigard and Natan will probably never be the preferred starting duo in the Partenopei team yet they are now aware of the standard required to contend with the European elite.     

Zielinski hits the spot

Have Napoli finally found a regular penalty-taker? It’s been an ongoing conundrum for the last two years.

Osimhen (against Bologna) and Giacomo Raspadori (against Sassuolo) have both missed penalties this season, while Politano netted from 12 yards in the four-goal thrashing of Lecce.

Now Zielinski could be the answer for Napoli.

The Polish international – who scored from the spot against Udinese – kept his composure to strike home via the post as the Partenopei restored parity early in the second half against Madrid. Whether Zielinski is entrusted with future penalties or is part of a rotation list has yet to be decided. However, he didn’t hesitate when handed the responsibility under immense pressure on Tuesday night.

Twitter: @SKasiewicz

Rudi Garcia navigated Napoli past Braga in a tricky Champions League opener in Portugal – yet it wasn’t enough to silence a growing contingent of detractors that question the tactics and approach of the French coach, writes Stephen Kasiewicz.

Derided for his team selection, an unimaginative game plan and substitutions amongst a litany of other charges Garcia still has to win over the Partenopei’s Tifosi. 

Whether the overload of criticism is justified doesn’t alter the fact that Napoli have only lost one game since the beginning of a transitory season.

They fashioned enough opportunities to thrash Braga in the Champions League on Wednesday as Victor Osimhen shone on a topsy-turvy night at the Municipal Stadium. The prolific Nigerian has already struck three goals in Serie A yet was extremely unfortunate as he rattled the bar and was denied on more than one occasion by Braga goalkeeper Matheus.

Ultra-reliable captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo netted close to half-time before poor defending let Bruma equalise on a sodden night in the north of Portugal. An own goal from Sikou Niakate handed Napoli victory as they withstood a late Braga onslaught.

While it wasn’t always convincing, the Partenopei were the only Italian side to register a victory in the opening round of Champions League ties.

Whoever replaced Luciano Spalletti was bound to be burdened with unfair comparisons regardless of results. Perhaps the most noticeable difference under Garcia is the overreliance on Osimhen with the superstar striker expected to perform miracles with every long ball punted into his path.

Spalletti famously talked about the importance of capitalising on open spaces as Napoli stylishly sauntered to a historic third league title and reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League last term.

Under Garcia, an alarming number of gaps have opened up between the defensive and midfield lines, especially in a worrying second-half collapse in the home defeat against Lazio. 

Genoa and Braga also found far too many free spots as the usually reliable Stanislav Lobotka and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa made uncharacteristic errors in the middle of the park. Neither should shoulder all of the blame though.

The glaring gap left by the departure of South Korean giant Kim Min-jae in the centre of defence remains. Summer addition Natan finally made his debut as Napoli reverted to a back five late on to protect their lead in northern Portugal without the influential Amir Rrahmani.

The Kosovan international was forced off with a thigh strain as Juan Jesus and Leo Ostigard – who started together at Genoa – again formed a makeshift central defensive partnership. It’s time for Natan to finally get his opportunity as Napoli take on Bologna and Udinese in quick succession. We’ll never know if the 22-year-old Brazilian can make the grade unless he actually plays, despite Garcia’s flimsy reservations about adapting to the culture and language in Italy.  

While right-sided winger Matteo Politano has already scored twice, including a stunning leveller at Genoa, on the opposite flank Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is not showing signs of the magic which entranced Napoli supporters as they charged to the Scudetto in the previous campaign.

As uninformed dissenters continue to mouth off that the Georgian hasn’t registered a goal since March the 22-year-old is still edging closer to full fitness. 

It’s ludicrous to write off the man nicknamed ‘Kvaradona’ after just four appearances – none of which lasted 90 minutes. While he was understandably frustrated after being substituted as Napoli chased a late winner at Genoa there have been flickering moments of brilliance from the wing magician.

Garcia must coax the best out of Kvaratskhelia without weighing him down with the responsibility of carrying Napoli on his own as he faces a barrage of double and triple teams. Osimhen also needs far better service to fire the Neapolitan club closer to the league leaders. He was mightily unlucky on a dramatic night in Braga. 

The high-powered strike duo can’t do it all alone.

A more compact strategy when out of possession will restrict the room which opponents have gleefully exploited in the early few games. Despite a shaky beginning, the Partenopei have earned only one point fewer in the standings than at the same stage last season. The French tactician will probably never completely convince the doubters.

While it’s unfeasible that Napoli will emulate the quick tempo fluidity of the glorious championship triumph, they still possess enough to contend at the Serie A summit and with the best in Europe. For all his supposed flaws it’s too soon to deem Garcia a failure just yet.

@SKasiewicz