Allegri plans Lucca-Højlund rotation for nine games in a month

Napoli play nine matches in Serie A and the Champions League between Saturday and the end of the month, and head coach Allegri has already decided how to ease the load on his attack: a rotation between Højlund and Lucca to spread the minutes without burning out either forward.

The run arrives with Napoli ninth in the table on 7 points from 5 games, coming off a draw in Florence. Two unbeaten results in a row are not yet enough to change the verdict on the team's start to the season.

Højlund is back at Castel Volturno, Napoli's training ground, after representing Denmark, for whom he scored twice between 1 and 4 October. The goals confirm his form, but for Allegri they are not a reason to run him into the ground during such a packed month — he would rather manage Højlund's workload than risk overloading him now.

For Lucca, the rotation is a chance to find the consistency that has eluded him. He has yet to score for Napoli this season, and his agent, Riso, has already spoken publicly about his situation. Sharing the role with Højlund gives him minutes he would not get as the permanent back-up to a fixed starter.

The real problem is elsewhere

Rotation alone will not fix everything. Napoli go into this stretch with Vergara, Alisson and Buongiorno out, Olivera and Anguissa doubtful, and Favasuli sidelined for weeks. Resting attackers to "avoid overload" is a reasonable tactical choice, but this October's real emergency is in the full-back positions and midfield, not up front — and there, Allegri is not choosing between alternatives, he is simply having to cope without them.

It starts on Saturday at the Maradona, with Politano among the certainties of the rotation, before the squad flies straight to Spain for Villarreal. Two sides of the same month, in which every change up front will show how well Allegri's management can really hold together results and the squad's fitness.