Former Napoli manager Reja has analyzed his ex-club's difficult start, emphasizing that character and personality are fundamental to Napoli's resurgence.

If you spent 1,514 days at Napoli, observing the city from the bench, you are qualified to describe it, interpret it, and narrate it as if you were sitting directly on a volcano. Edy Reja is like a renowned volcanologist—for four years and two months, five complete seasons—he was close to the extreme emotions that have now resurfaced: 4 games, 1 win, 3 defeats. His friend Allegri now faces a world unfamiliar to him and needs encouragement. "I believe in Allegri and his players, although they are now facing some injuries."

What do you think of Napoli's start?

"If you look only at the results, it's bad; if you examine some details and analyze the matches, the story could have been completely different. For example, if Anguissa had scored in the 90th minute at San Siro, or if De Bruyne had found someone to equalize in the 90th minute at the Maradona Stadium, would we still be discussing the same thing now?"

As a communicator among coaches, these assessments are returning.

"I think Allegri must remain optimistic and should be supported; I sense some pessimism from a distance. Disappointment certainly exists, which is normal, but it should also be said that he faced three opponents against whom anyone could have lost. The worst phase has passed, and the signs are positive: they played very openly against Inter; against Arsenal, they changed their approach, withstood the pressure, and had chances to hurt their opponents more than once."

In this situation, there is only one remedy.

"Victory, of course. Against Bologna, there can be no distractions; the team must bounce back with the ability they don't lack. Some interesting things have already been seen in the matches, but results always change how people perceive Napoli: if they had simply drawn twice against Inter and Arsenal, people's assessment of Napoli would be completely different. But Allegri is an excellent football man; he understands these things and knows how to get out of this situation."

Will tactics, technical ability, or personality be more important?

"All three together would certainly be better, but on a night like this, with some tension on the pitch, personality is more important. Allegri is Napoli's leader, as he has been throughout his career, and he will guide the team in the right direction."

Anguissa's situation has improved, while Long was held accountable for his disrespectful behavior.

"The team has already lost some players along the way; having two or three return would help greatly. If Anguissa returns to his previous form, he will be a significant boost—a player who can almost single-handedly intercept and also advance the attack. I noticed that in the first matches, he almost always appeared in the box and really had real chances. Later, he had bad luck, but that's common."

The defensive statistics illustrate the team's difficulties...

"These statistics are related to the strength of their opponents; when reviewing the matches, their impact must also be considered. But Napoli wasn't just defending passively against Inter; perhaps they were forced to do so during certain phases of the game, but they also came close to scoring on several occasions."

The match against Arsenal, however, showed the gap between Italian football and the Premier League.

"They are the current champions and were Champions League finalists last year. They are a very strong opponent; the match was entertaining, with a different style of football, and there is also an economic strength gap behind it. They accelerate, cut, and execute many incredible movements, with a group of players that is easy to like. When it comes to substitutes, you can see how many options Arteta has. England is ahead—we've known this for a long time and have said it for a long time."

Which players can Allegri rely on to get back on track soon?

"I like Gilmour very much. My most reassuring choice is De Bruyne, because when he's in form, he's a player of a different caliber, and during some phases of Wednesday night's match, you could already see what he's capable of. You have to keep up with his pace, understand his thinking, anticipate his movements; his actions always catch opponents by surprise. I would also add Lobotka; he's always calm and is one of the most important midfielders. But I think this team as a whole is very solid."

Napoli vs. Bologna has many personal connections for Reja.

"This match will make me relive my youth and remind me of the experiences that enriched my life. Speaking of Napoli, I've mentioned many times my relationship with the fans and those wonderful years from Serie C to European competitions. It's a club I will always consider mine. Bologna is also beautiful, but for me, it's also a wound. I took over from Zaccheroni mid-season, at the beginning of the Guzzoni-Frascaroli era, and started with a seven-game winning streak and managed to reach the promotion playoffs. Fate sent me to play against Spal, the team where I began my career at a higher level as a player, and we were eliminated. I still remember that disappointment. The pain of losing never really goes away."

Traduzido por IA.

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