Napoli lead through Rrahmani, then collapse 3-1 at Villarreal

Mikautadze and Mouriño struck twice in three minutes to turn the game around, before Oluwaseyi sealed it late as Napoli again struggled to create anything in front of goal.

by Gennaro SanninoTuesday 13 October, 22:55 CET· 2 hours ago

Villarreal-Napoli Villarreal-Napoli 3-1: il vantaggio di Rrahmani dura un quarto d'ora — Grafica Arena Napoli

Napoli made the better start. Rrahmani hit the woodwork in the 8th minute, then made amends himself moments later, scoring to put Napoli ahead.

The lead lasted barely a quarter of an hour. Höjlund also hit the crossbar in the 22nd minute, but it was the last warning before the collapse. Mikautadze equalised in the 23rd minute, then Mouriño completed the turnaround in the 26th, finishing off an assist from Gerard. Villarreal flipped the game inside three minutes.

The second half turned nervy. Giovane was booked in the 55th minute, and head coach Allegri sent on Spinazzola, Lang and Neres for more attacking weight. De Bruyne was booked in the 62nd minute, in a game in which Napoli committed far more fouls than Villarreal (15 to 8) without turning that nervous edge into real chances.

A late push, with Lobotka and Lucca thrown into the mix, produced nothing concrete: Napoli finished the match with just three shots on target. Villarreal stayed in control and added a third in the 86th minute through Oluwaseyi, on since the 63rd minute, from a Pérez assist. Di Lorenzo had been booked a minute earlier, in the 85th.

The defeat lands at a time when the team is already under scrutiny: the attacking football that keeps failing to show up, the use of De Bruyne and Höjlund under debate, and Allegri facing criticism. Three shots on target in ninety minutes, and a lead thrown away inside a quarter of an hour, point to a team that struggles to control matches, not just to win them.