Sacchi explains where Conte went wrong in Torino 1-0 Napoli defeat

Arrigo Sacchi believes that Napoli were ‘too slow in general’ during their surprise 1-0 defeat away against Torino on Saturday evening, which cost them control of the Serie A table. 

Napoli were without several key first-team players in Turin on Saturday, with Amir Rrahmani, Scott McTominay, Stanislav Lobotka, Rasmus Hojlund and Romelu Lukaku all out of the matchday squad through injury, and Alessandro Buongiorno and Matteo Politano only fit enough to start from the bench. 

As a result, the depleted Partenopei fell to their second Serie A defeat of the season after a first-half strike from Giovanni Simeone, who is currently on loan with an obligation to buy from Napoli to Torino. 

Sacchi believes that Napoli should have shown more in their defeat against Torino, even with their significant injury list. 

“Napoli, even considering the two big absences, did not seem as great as Conte would have liked. The offensive moves were too predictable. They were too slow in general,” Sacchi wrote in his La Gazzetta dello Sport column. 

“When Torino dropped back in the second half, Conte’s boys were unable to find the key to unlock their opponent’s defence. That’s an aspect they have to work on if they want to get to the highest level, which Napoli could do.” 

The Partenopei will have an opportunity to bounce back when they travel to the Netherlands for Champions League action on Tuesday night. 

“They will be in action against PSV in Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday, and that will make it clear if this defeat is a one-off short circuit, or if it is necessary to reconsider some of the mechanics and positioning on the pitch. 

“There isn’t much time to recover, but I’m sure that Conte will be able to make the most of it.”