Alvino denies Napoli are plotting a retreat

Carlo Alvino has denied that Napoli are considering a ritiro — a retreat in which the squad is sequestered together, usually at the training base — after speculation that one could be triggered if results did not improve.

Nessuna ipotesi di ritiro in casa Napoli! Mai presa in considerazione!

Alvino posted on X: "No hypothesis of a retreat at Napoli! Never considered! We are working at Castel Volturno in total unity of purpose and with maximum concentration, isolated from the annoying 'background noise' and focused solely on the next crucial game in Venice!"

Allegri wants a reaction

At the heart of the matter is head coach Massimiliano Allegri's demand for an immediate reaction after the loss in Spain. He criticised the team's performance, pointing to the errors that opened the door to Mikautadze's equaliser and then Mouriño's goal. The day after, he looked for no excuses in refereeing incidents, instead asking for more balance without the side becoming defensive. The issue, in his view, is not shape or opponents but the cohesion of a group that lost its way on its own at Villarreal.

It is not an isolated episode. Discontent had already been filtering out of the dressing room in recent days, with the squad paying the price for a month of injuries, and De Bruyne's own form coming under scrutiny after the restart of the Villarreal game.

Ninth, and searching for a feeling, not points

Napoli go into Saturday's match at the Penzo ninth in the table, with 10 points from six matchdays and an up-and-down run of results in their last five outings: draw, win, draw, win, defeat. The league table will not move because of a Champions League fixture, but the team arrives in Venice needing to change the feeling left behind in Spain, not the points.

The fact that a journalist close to the club felt the need to publicly deny a scenario the club itself had never confirmed says something about the mood of these days. If nobody at Castel Volturno had genuinely considered a retreat, the rumour would hardly have travelled far enough to need such a firm denial.

The rest will be decided on the pitch. Allegri has asked for a reaction, and the first test comes already on Saturday 17 October at 15:00 at the Pierluigi Penzo, against a Venezia side bottom of the table and making its bench debut under Davide Nicola. A negative result there would inevitably put the retreat question back at the centre of the conversation, with Bodø/Glimt waiting on Tuesday.