Never two without three: for the third time this season, Naples enters an international break with a defeat at home and many questions about the future of its coach Rudi Garcia, after his setback against Empoli (0-1), this Sunday, yet penultimate in Serie A. In pouring rain, Viktor Kovalenko scored the only goal of the match in added time (90th+1) to the great amazement and anger of the Neapolitan fans.
Four days after the draw (1-1), already at home, in the Champions League against Union Berlin which remained on twelve defeats in a row, Rudi Garcia, who succeeded Luciano Spalletti in June, attempted an electroshock which did not didn’t work. He made four changes, notably leaving Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the bench, while his starting goalkeeper Alex Meret was injured during the warm-up and was replaced by Pierluigi Gollini.
From Laurentiis next to Cannavaro
But without Kvaratskhelia, nor Victor Osimhen, injured for three weeks, Napoli fared poorly against Empoli who created the only opportunity of the first period, a pivotal shot from Nicolo Cambiaghi (35th) diverted for a corner by Gollini . The entry of Kvaratskhelia in the 54th minute gave hope to the Neapolitan fans, but the Georgian striker came up against the Empoli goalkeeper (60th, 79th and 89th). While they were heading towards a draw that looked like a defeat, the Neapolitans were struck down by a thunderclap from Kovalenko, synonymous with disaster for the three-time Italian champion.
A month after an international break in October punctuated by rumors of Garcia’s departure and his replacement by Antonio Conte, that of November promises to be very eventful in Naples. At the end of the meeting, the club announced that neither Garcia nor any of its players will appear before the press this Sunday.
Sitting in the stands, the omnipresent president-owner of Naples Aurelio De Laurentiis followed the meeting alongside former international Fabio Cannavaro, whose coaching career is slow to take off. Napoli’s next match is scheduled for November 25 at Atalanta. That is thirteen days, which gives De Laurentiis ample time to make a revolution in his club.