Allegri starts Milinkovic‑Savic, Marin warns Villarreal: speed decides

Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed that Luka Milinkovic‑Savic will start in the Champions League clash against Villarreal, which will be played tonight at 21:00 on the Spanish pitch. The announcement came right after the win over Frosinone, while coach Rafa Marin warned the opponents of a “fast” defence.

Match context

Napoli, fresh from three points against Frosinone, now faces the second matchday of the League Phase in Spain. Villarreal, after a win over Real Madrid on Saturday, is considered a tough opponent, but Allegri stresses that the team must aim for a positive result to progress to the next round.

Allegri reiterated that the goal is to get past the first round and stay in contention until March. He also commented on the defensive setups, stating that talking about a “three‑man defence” or a “four‑man defence” is simplistic and that the team must adapt to the demands of the match.

Tactical choices and line‑ups

In the press conference, Rafa Marin said: “They are fast up front”, referring to Villarreal’s tempo. He also highlighted the importance of a balance between the passion of Napoli fans and the need to stay calm after the Champions League.

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Allegri confirmed that Kevin De Bruyne will also be available, but he has not yet defined his role. He also hinted at the possibility of starting McTominay, who is improving, and mentioned the competition between Gilmour and Lobotka for midfield.

The coach also spoke about the return of key players: Meret has come back from injury, Neres and Giovane have completed long spells on the sidelines, and Anguissa, Olivera and Alisson will rejoin the squad on Wednesday.

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Finally, Allegri explained the decision to leave Favasuli out of the Champions League list, replacing him with Giovane, regarded as a talent with great potential.