Ferguson says Napoli deserved win, sends message to McTominay

Bologna's Scottish midfielder broke down the defeat at the Maradona without excuses, and had a word for his friend Scott, out after heart surgery.

by Gennaro SanninoSunday 13 September, 21:40 CET· 1 hour ago

Ferguson: «Il Napoli ha meritato, a McTominay dico che tornerà più forte» — Grafica Arena Napoli

No alibis in the press room. Ferguson, Bologna's Scottish midfielder, took the defeat at the Maradona without looking for excuses. "We're a little down, that's always the way when you lose. We suffered because we played a really strong team in Napoli: you already know that when you're without the ball you're going to suffer."

His read on the game itself was just as direct. Bologna had held firm in the first half before fading. "The first 45 minutes went better, but in the second half we dropped too deep and in the end it didn't go well. Napoli deserved the win, they played a good game and they deserve credit." Lobotka's goal in the 66th minute settled a match in which Napoli gradually took control.

The most personal part of the press conference concerned a player who wasn't on the pitch. Ferguson and McTominay know each other, and the Napoli midfielder should have been his direct opponent in the middle of the park. "It's always great for me to play against my friends. Scott was missing, and unfortunately he'll be out for a while: he's a really strong lad and an incredible player, and I'll tell him he'll be back soon and even stronger than before."

gli dico che tornerà presto e sarà ancora più forte di prima

McTominay had heart surgery on Tuesday 9 September in Manchester, an ablation for an arrhythmia. The operation was a success, with around two weeks out expected. The midfielder is out of contract in 2027, which makes his absence weigh doubly on Allegri's plans — the head coach was already without Anguissa, sidelined by a muscle strain, for Sunday's game.

Ferguson then turned to his own club's league position: Bologna sit on one point after four matchdays. "One point after four games isn't good enough and we deserve more, but it's a long road. There's been a lot of change over the summer, a new coach and new players: it takes time and patience, but I believe in this group and the results will come." It was a fair point — Tedesco's side arrived at the Maradona already stretched, missing players and with others one booking from suspension.

An honest opponent doesn't change the numbers on Napoli's side. The win takes Allegri's team to 6 points and ninth place after four matchdays (two wins, two defeats, six goals for and five against), off the pace set by Lazio on 10 and the Roma-Inter-Cagliari trio on 9. Ferguson's praise confirms the game was dominated, but our newsroom's doubts about the starting XI are the same as they were on Saturday night, 12 September.

Napoli's next test comes in seven days, on Sunday 20 September, away to Fiorentina at the Franchi.