Napoli work on possession before Saturday's visit of Roma

Bodø/Glimt had 57% of the ball at the Maradona on Tuesday. Two days before Roma arrive, Allegri's squad spent their Thursday morning session on keeping it.

by Gennaro SanninoThursday 22 October, 17:25 CET· 7 hours ago

Napoli-Roma, a due giorni dalla partita si lavora sul possesso: col Bodø/Glimt il pallone l'hanno tenuto loro — Grafica Arena Napoli

Napoli spent the morning of Thursday 22 October at their training centre working on possession. The session opened with physical warm-ups, moved to a drill built around keeping the ball and finished with tactical work. Roma visit the Maradona on Saturday 24 October at 18:00 CET (17:00 UK, 12:00 ET).

The choice of drill makes sense. In Tuesday's 4-3 against Bodø/Glimt, the Norwegians had more of the ball, 57% of it, in Napoli's own stadium. Afterwards Allegri said: "When we are in our own half we are fragile." Keeping the ball is the simplest way to stay out of that half. That is our reading, not something the staff have said. Still, it is the question to take to the stadium on Saturday: will Napoli keep the ball, or leave it to Roma?

The stakes are clear. Napoli are ninth on 10 points. Roma are third on 17 and arrive without Koné and Pellegrini, with Dybala a doubt. The club has tied Allegri's future to two matches. The first, against Bodø/Glimt, finished 4-3. This is the second.