Ziliani ridicules Allegri’s Napoli as Milan copy, doubts ADL’s hope

Paolo Ziliani argues that Napoli’s 0‑0 stalemate with Genova at the Marassi stadium proves the side has forgotten how to play football, leaving Allegri’s project in doubt and casting a shadow over the optimism expressed by ADL in the early stages of the campaign.

ADL’s tweet fuels the debate

Ziliani points to the early‑morning X post from Aurelio De Laurentiis, whom he abbreviates as ADL, that urged the new coach Max Allegri to “have fun and make the players entertain the fans”. The message, signed “Caro Max – buon inizio di campionato. Divertiti, fai divertire i tuoi giocatori e fai divertire il mondo dei tifosi napoletani”, was meant to inspire but, in Ziliani’s view, only highlighted the gap between rhetoric and reality. He adds “Abbiamo dimenticato come si gioca a calcio?” echoing the frustration felt by many supporters.

Ziliani describes the first half as a “photocopy of at least twenty first halves played, or rather not played, a year ago by Milan under Allegri”. He notes that “quarantacinque minuti” were squandered as Napoli surrendered possession to a mediocre opponent, generating zero initiatives, danger or quality. La performance, he says, was “inguardabile”, leaving the crowd stunned.

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Player line‑up under scrutiny

Ziliani reminds readers that seven of the eleven starters – Meret, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Spinazzola, Lobotka, Anguissa and Politano – were regulars in the Allegri‑Milan side that once dazzled in Serie A and the Champions League. He further highlights the role of Di Bello, whose “L'esortazione” to “far volare il pallone” seemed more prophetic than practical. The criticism extends to the notion that the squad, despite its pedigree, appears to have lost the instinct to play football.

Ziliani also questions the impact of the three costly reinforcements – McTominay, Alisson Santos and Hojlund – who arrived after Spalletti’s era and were touted as immediate stars. Adding Rafa Marin as the modest eleventh, he wonders “Se qualcuno avesse letto il tweet, sarebbe stato colto dalle palpitazioni”. The comparison to Guardiola’s style is invoked, noting that Allegri’s approach “non era Guardiola” and thus felt like a premonition of misfortune.

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The commentary, published under the “Stampa A− A+” banner, underscores Ziliani’s belief that Napoli must rediscover the fundamentals of the game. He concludes that without a radical shift, the club risks repeating a season of “zero‑initiative” football, leaving fans to wonder whether the promised spectacle will ever materialise.