Napoli irritate, but not as Conte says, Bologna deserve the win | OneFootball

Italian football is hard to digest for Conte. Dallinga and Lucumì bring down Napoli. At the Dall’Ara, the rossoblù break the deadlock at the start of the second half with Cambiaghi coming on: the azzurri are now within reach of Inter and Roma at the top, while the rossoblù eye the Champions League zone.

This Napoli is really “a nuisance”, but not in the way Conte means. Bologna deserve it and win

Napoli slip up on another away match, while Bologna can dream. The home team wins 2-0 and dominates large stretches of the game, both in terms of intensity and quality. After a first half in which Napoli defend well, the second half speaks Italian. First Dallinga, then Lucumì, pierce Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. The felsinei can aim for more than just 4th place.

Napoli leave the field defeated at Bologna on Matchday 11 of Serie A, losing 2-0 at the Renato Dall’Ara stadium. A match that confirms a difficult period for the azzurri, coming off two consecutive goalless draws against Como in the league and Eintracht in the Champions League, and unable to react against a brilliant and organized Bologna side.

Antonio Conte sticks with the 4-3-3, with some changes: Gutierrez starts on the left wing in place of Spinazzola, while Elmas occupies the central position in the front three alongside Hojlund and Politano. In midfield, due to injuries, the regular starters Anguissa, Lobotka, and McTominay are confirmed, tasked with handling a real tour de force.

On the other side, Bologna’s coach revolutionizes the lineup compared to the last Europa League match, fielding six new faces. Dallinga leads the attack, supported by Orsolini, Odgaard, and Rowe in the attacking midfield, while Ferguson and Pobega form a dynamic duo in the middle.

First half: balance and few chances

The match starts at a brisk pace, with both teams pressing high on the ball carriers. After just five minutes, Skorupski asks to be substituted following a clearance; Ravaglia is unavailable, so it’s the turn of Massimo Pessina, class of 2007 and European champion with Italy Under-17. Goal chances are rare: on one side Hojlund and Elmas try to be dangerous, on the other Milinkovic-Savic is called to make the only decisive save on a Rowe shot. The first half ends goalless, with tactical balance and very few defensive errors.

Second half: Bologna strike and seal the deal

The second half quickly changes thanks to Italiano’s tactical move: Cambiaghi comes on for Rowe and breaks the balance. On his first cross, the former Empoli man finds Dallinga, who gets ahead of Rrahmani and beats Milinkovic-Savic at the near post in the 50th minute, opening the scoring. The goal gives confidence to the rossoblù, who continue to manage the game with order and aggression, doubling the lead in the 66th minute with Lucumì, who heads in a perfect cross from Holm.

Napoli try to react with persistent attacks, but find a well-organized Bologna, able to close every gap and nearly score a third on the counter. A post from a Gutierrez cross is the only scare for the home side, who legitimize their victory.

This defeat marks a critical moment for Napoli, who look unrecognizable in attack and too sluggish and predictable in their play. The team failed to create concrete chances and confirm a drop in performance after a promising start to the season. For Conte, this is the third league defeat and fifth overall, counting the two Champions League matches against City and PSV. This difficult period calls for strategic reflection: the tour de force between league and European competitions is severely testing the team’s physical and mental endurance, making an immediate change of pace necessary to avoid losing ground in the race for the top. And to really be a nuisance—maybe to the chasers, and not to their own fans, given recent performances…

BOLOGNA-NAPOLI 2-0

BOLOGNA (4-2-3-1): Skorupski NG (8′ Massimo Pessina 6); Holm 7, Heggem 6.5, Lucumì 7, Juan Miranda 6.5; Lewis Ferguson 6.5, Pobega 6 (81′ Nikola Moro NG); Orsolini 7 (81′ Casale NG), Odgaard 6 (61′ Bernardeschi 6.5), J. Rowe 6 (45′ Cambiaghi 7.5); Dallinga 7. Coach: Italiano 7.5.

NAPOLI (4-3-3): V. Milinkovic-Savic 5.5; Di Lorenzo 4.5, Rrahmani 4.5, Buongiorno 5 (77′ Juan Jesus NG), Miguel Gutiérrez 5.5 (77′ Mathias Olivera NG); Zambo Anguissa 5.5, Lobotka 6, McTominay 5 (82′ Lucca NG); Politano 5 (68′ David Neres 5), Hojlund 4, Elmas 5 (68′ Lang 4.5). Coach: Conte 4.5.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.