Former Napoli manager Raia analyzed his former club's difficult start, noting that character and personality are key to Napoli's turnaround.

If you spent 1,514 days at Napoli, watching over the city from the dugout all that time, you have the right to describe, interpret, and talk about it as if you were sitting on a volcano. Raia is like a renowned volcanologist: four years and two months—that is, five full seasons—he was always close to that extreme emotion, which now surfaces again: 4 matches, 1 win, and 3 defeats. His friend Allegri is now facing a world unfamiliar to him and needs support. "I believe in Allegri, and I believe in his players, even though they are currently dealing with some injuries."

What do you think about Napoli's start?

"If you only look at the results, they're poor; but if you consider some details and break down the matches, the story could be completely different. For example, if Anguissa had scored at the San Siro in the 90th minute, or if De Bruyne had found someone to equalize at the Maradona in the 90th minute, would we be talking about the same thing now?"

As an exchange of views between managers, these judgments have come back.

"I think Allegri must remain optimistic and should be supported. However, I sense some pessimism from afar. Disappointment certainly exists, which is normal, but it must also be said that he faced three opponents who could beat anyone. The worst phase is behind us, 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."

There is only one remedy in this situation.

"Of course, it's a victory. Against Bologna there can be no distractions; the team must recover by using the abilities they have in abundance. There have already been some interesting moments in the matches, but results always change external perception: if they had drawn just two matches between Inter and Arsenal, people's assessment of Napoli would be completely different. But Allegri is a very fine football man; he understands these things and knows how to get out of it."

What matters more: tactics, technique, or personality?

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

Anguissa's situation has improved, and Lobotka has been "forgiven" for any struggles.

"The team has already lost some players over the course of the season, so the return of two or three would be a great help. If Anguissa returns to his previous form, that would be a significant gain—a player who can almost single-handedly make interceptions and also join the attack. I noticed that in the first few matches he was almost always in the penalty area and genuinely had real chances. Later he was unlucky, but that's normal."

Defensive statistics point to the team's difficulties...

"These statistics are linked to the strength of the opponents, and when reviewing the matches, their influence should also be taken into account. But Napoli wasn't simply passive in defense against Inter; at certain stages of the match they may have been forced to be, 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 defending champions and finalists of the last Champions League. They're a very fine opponent; the match was very entertaining, and the style of football is different, with a gap in the economic power behind it. They accelerate, press hard, and execute many incredible movements with a group of players who are naturally gifted. When it's time for substitutions, you can see how many options Arteta has. England is ahead; we've known this for a long time and have been saying it for a long time."

Which players can Allegri rely on to recover quickly?

"I really, really like Billy Gilmour. My most reliable choice is still De Bruyne, because when he's in good form, he's a player of a different caliber, and we already saw glimpses of what he's capable of at certain stages of the match on Wednesday evening. You have to keep up with his rhythm, understand his thinking, anticipate his movements, and his play always catches opponents off guard. I would also add Stanislav Lobotka, who is always calm and is one of the most important midfielders. However, I think this team is very solid overall."

The Napoli-Bologna match has many personal connections for Raia.

"This match will take me back to my youth and remind me of an experience that enriched my life. Speaking about Napoli, I have repeatedly mentioned 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 equally wonderful, but for me it's also a wound. I took over the team mid-season from Zaccheroni, at the beginning of the Gazzoni-Frasca era, and immediately had a seven-game winning streak and successfully reached the playoff for promotion. Fate brought me together with 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 defeat never truly goes away."

Переведено ИИ.

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