Italian papers focus on Allegri, not Napoli's 3-3 collapse against Roma

The story dominating the Italian papers on Monday 26 October is Massimiliano Allegri. Not the football, and not Napoli letting a 2-0 lead slip at the Maradona: the head coach, his post-match behaviour and his future.

Il Mattino: the president backs Allegri, with a warning

Il Mattino pushes the theme hardest. Its headline says the coach's job is not in doubt and that De Laurentiis will stay with Allegri. The sub-heading adds that "now the coach must win".

The paper also says the president stopped Allegri as he left the dressing room to congratulate him, under the headline "The road is the right one".

Il Mattino further writes that Allegri allegedly shouted at Gasperini in the tunnel. It talks of a risk of suspension for the next two away games, at Monza and Torino.

Corriere dello Sport: the words about Roma

Corriere dello Sport looks at the same post-match scene from another side. It reports Allegri's remark about putting Roma's Champions League hopes in his pocket. It also writes that the FIGC prosecutor is reportedly considering disciplinary action.

The two papers complement each other. For Il Mattino the risk comes from the tunnel; for Corriere dello Sport, from the comments on Roma.

On Monday the sporting judge decides on Allegri's sending-off late in Napoli-Roma.

Two readings of the same message

Il Mattino pictures a president who is not thinking of sacking his coach and who tells him the road is right. Yet the demand to win, in the same piece, reads like a warning.

Supporters who question the style of play and the defence now hear a board talking about the right road.

Boardroom matters

Il Mattino also devotes space to the club's future. It writes that the preliminary agreement for a training centre in Qualiano, with ten pitches and a mini-stadium, is expected early in the week. De Laurentiis will also meet the heads of sponsor MSC in Switzerland about the new stadium, with the issue of a sale in the background.

Repubblica moves Napoli to the FIGC table. The club would be among five backing Malagò for the federation presidency, with candidacies due by 4 November.

La Gazzetta dello Sport, in the material we have, runs "Super derby" for the Inter and Milan wins. It is the page of the teams at the top. Napoli, on 11 points, look at it from outside.

Our view

The papers are right that the Allegri affair is real, and the sporting judge rules on it on Monday. But the defence and the collapse from 2-0 are missing from the front pages.

Il Mattino presents the president's congratulations as reassurance. To anyone who watched Roma catch Napoli, it sounds distant from the fanbase, and the club talks of the right road without saying why.

What is missing is an account of the team that will play at Monza, with Badiashile out and Di Lorenzo nursing a knee contusion. That is the news for those waiting for Wednesday.