Napoli beat Bologna 1-0 but press doubt Allegri's identity

Napoli's 1-0 win over Bologna on Sunday 13 September did not quiet the questions around Massimiliano Allegri. Monday's papers only made them louder.

This way you don't go far, and it's better to say so straight away: it can be enough to beat a modest Bologna.

In a second piece, the Gazzetta describes a coach "at a crossroads" who nonetheless "does not change his formations or his team."

The Corriere dello Sport's preview, filed before kick-off, ran under the headline "PoliNapoli per Allegri" — a reference to the decision to start Politano, only for him to be pulled at half-time for Favasuli, the substitution that produced the assist for the goal.

Sky Sport's pre-match preview framed the stakes almost as an ultimatum. After three straight defeats, Napoli were "obliged to win at home against Bologna to avoid sinking into a deep crisis that could even put Massimiliano Allegri's future in the dugout at risk."

Away from the headlines, the post-match interviews with Sky and DAZN paint a calmer picture. Allegri pointed to Favasuli, a player who "has energy, we needed it", and called the game "good on the technical side."

Rrahmani told Sky that with the high press "everything is easier", and praised the double pivot of Gilmour and Lobotka.

Lobotka, the matchwinner, described the goal with his usual understatement.

I don't know what I was doing up there. Favasuli put in a good ball.

Il Mattino, meanwhile, is already looking past the break: the paper reports that Roberto Mancini is expected to call up three Napoli players for the Nations League fixtures that open the group phase on Thursday 24 September.

Our take

The Gazzetta's reading catches a real nerve: four matchdays in, Napoli still haven't shown a recognisable idea of play, and reducing Sunday's win to a victory over a Bologna side in trouble isn't unfair — it's the picture of 15 shots for a single goal.

But the press has focused almost entirely on formations and identity, leaving in the background a question felt more sharply around the city: why Politano, criticised by supporters, stays untouchable until half-time even when the team isn't working, and who decides if and when to change course. Sky raised the bench question as a threat, then dropped it after Lobotka's goal — too convenient. Three points after three defeats don't close the debate. They postpone it.