Allegri: ‘Spoke to De Bruyne, difficulty but not alibi for Napoli’

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Kickjolly · AI-written · automatically reviewed · Football Italia ↗

Max Allegri addressed Kevin De Bruyne's role in the starting lineup against FC Porto, stating that he spoke to De Bruyne and was assured his ankle was fine. Allegri made surprising changes for the Champions League match. The game is set to kick off at 20.00 GMT at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto. Napoli is facing a tricky trip to Porto.

Allegri acknowledged the difficulties Napoli is facing, including a rough start to the Champions League and an injury crisis that has affected several players. The team had defeats to Arsenal and Villarreal but got off the mark by beating Bodo/Glimt 4-3. Napoli has several players on the treatment table, including Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Mathias Olivera.

Allegri emphasized the need for Napoli to improve and be more responsible, particularly in defense, where they have conceded goals easily in previous matches. He noted that holding back by just a centimeter can make a difference and that the team needs to be calm and aware of the need to do more. Allegri believes that the team must turn things around and make a step up in their performance.