Massimiliano Allegri reflected on the biggest problems at Juventus in the wake of Serie A defeat to Napoli.
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Allegri reflects on Juve lossMcKennie & Rabiot missed Napoli gameInexperience blamed overallWHAT HAPPENED?
In a post-match interview with , Allegri pointed to inexperience as the main reason for the 2-1 defeat. He suggested his young team were too determined to play through Napoli and didn't switch up their plan when it wasn't working.
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Allegri said: "Without [Weston] McKennie and [Adrien] Rabiot, [Carlos] Alcaraz did really well in his first real game. [Fabio] Miretti has 60-odd games under his belt already, so is more experienced. I don't think Napoli had many really clear-cut chances, whereas we did not make the most of our opportunities. We also got pig-headed trying to break through the centre rather than spreading it to wide areas. It is a regret that we leave empty-handed, but experience of playing at this level makes the difference. We should've been more wide awake in certain situations. It was one of the youngest Juventus starting XIs of all time, I think, and that means we are working well. Our objective is to help these young players to grow so that they will be ready next season."
Getty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE
McKennie and Rabiot both missed the game through injury, leaving 21-year-old Alcaraz to step up only a few weeks after moving to Serie A on loan from England's Championship. Juve have now only won one of their last six league outings, allowing Inter to open up a 12-point lead at the top of the table with a game in hand.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS?
Returning to the Champions League is vital for Juve and they will achieve that if they remain in the top four. Their position appears to be strong, currently second and 10 points ahead of fifth-place Roma. They are also still active in the Coppa Italia, set to go head-to-head with Lazio over two legs in the semi-finals next month. That is their only realistic chance of a first trophy since 2021.