Spalletti's Juventus job hangs on the Napoli he made champions
Luciano Spalletti apologised to Juventus supporters after the defeat at Genoa, and he now faces the club he took to the 2023 title with his own position under review. Napoli arrive without Massimiliano Allegri on the touchline, and Stanislav Lobotka, stretchered off at Monza with an ankle injury, is a serious doubt.
Luciano Spalletti began with an apology. After the 2-0 defeat at Genoa he said Juventus owed one to their supporters, then said his players had put too little of everything into the game. It was a third league defeat in nine, and it sends him into a meeting with the club he took to the 2023 title with his own future under review.
Juventus should edge it, narrowly, in a match of two goals or fewer in which only one side scores.
Napoli arrive without their manager on the touchline. Massimiliano Allegri, who coached Juventus in two spells, chose not to appeal the two-match ban he earned for his outburst at the referee in the 3-3 draw with Roma. His staff took the first game of it at Monza, and Napoli won 4-1.
Juventus are a lesser side than the one that beat Napoli 3-0 in Turin in January. Kenan Yildiz scored that day, Manuel Locatelli made the opening goal and Khéphren Thuram hit the post. All three are out after surgery, and Francisco Conceição, another starter, has a dislocated shoulder. Spalletti's side have scored eleven league goals in nine games and none in two of their last three.
Napoli have the goals but not the defenders. Rasmus Højlund ended an eight-match drought at Monza and Kevin De Bruyne scored four minutes after coming on. Yet Benoît Badiashile, Leonardo Spinazzola and Alessandro Buongiorno are injured, and Napoli had conceded ten goals in their previous four matches. Lobotka left Monza on a stretcher; Billy Gilmour took his place.
