Napoli fall apart in Porto 4-1 with Lazio next

Napoli fall apart in Porto 4-1 with Lazio next at the Maradona

Napoli held Porto for a half in the Champions League, then conceded three times in under 20 minutes. Allegri has to explain his choices, and Lazio come to town on Sunday.

by Gennaro SanninoThursday 5 November, 08:54 CET· 1 hour ago

Porto-Napoli Champions, a Porto si riapre la ferita europea: e domenica arriva la Lazio — Grafica Arena Napoli

Europe was where this Napoli side were meant to show they had moved on from last season. Then, they went out in the league phase in 30th place, and the 6-2 at Eindhoven was the worst European defeat in the club's history. In Porto on Wednesday 4 November, the opposite happened.

Conceding four away from home in the Champions League is not a one-off to be forgotten. Those goals stay on the record for the rest of the competition and make it harder. The scoreline is not what hurts most, though. It is how Napoli got there. The fanbase wants character in Europe before it wants results, and the team faded at exactly the moment they needed to hold firm.

Allegri's choices

The starting line-up was Allegri's, so the responsibility is his too. Højlund started up front. Napoli played a back three, with Beukema making his first Champions League start. Politano and Lang played as wing-backs, with no specialist full-back on either side.

For a half, the game was level. Bednarek scored for Porto after 11 minutes and McTominay equalised in the 43rd. That is the fact and no more: the equaliser does not turn anyone's evening into a good one.

In the second half Porto changed the game with their substitutions. Napoli made no change until the 78th minute. In less than 20 minutes Veiga, Kiwior and Aghehowa scored. A defence set up for this match came apart, and no correction came from the bench in time.

Lazio next

Lazio visit the Maradona on Sunday 8 November at 12:30 CET (11:30 UK, 06:30 ET). This will not be the game that lifts the mood. Neres, Buongiorno and Alisson Santos are out, and Marianucci is suspended after his sending-off in Turin.

Allegri has to decide which of the players who started in Porto keep their places and who gets a chance. Those decisions will be judged in the light of Wednesday night, not separately from it.

The Champions League campaign goes on, with a 4-1 defeat that Napoli need to make count for as little as possible. They can only get it back on track with a team that does not come apart in Europe the first time the opponent makes a change. Before any words from Allegri, that is the answer the fans are waiting for.