Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Napoli lost 3-1 to Serie B side Arezzo in Max Allegri's first match as head coach. Cerri, Gilli and Eklu scored for Arezzo; Politano replied for Napoli.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
Arezzo struck first in the 11th minute. A counter-attack down Napoli's left flank ended with Sala's cross finding A. Cerri, who headed home unmarked from close range past Alex Meret.
Napoli dominated possession across both halves but struggled to convert chances. The first half saw Giovane impress on the right wing and Prisco — a 2008-born prospect — show composure in midfield, but no breakthrough came.
Napoli made 10 substitutions at half-time, with Allegri changing the entire outfield. The second half started similarly, but M. Gilli doubled Arezzo's lead in the 56th minute, reacting quickest to Milinkovic-Savic's parry from a corner.
M. Politano pulled one back for Napoli in the 61st minute — though not without drama. The winger saw his penalty saved by Arezzo goalkeeper Serban but buried the rebound. It was Napoli's first goal of the pre-season.
Napoli pushed for an equaliser. L. Lucca hit the post, and substitute Pereyra forced a save from Arezzo's third-choice keeper Trombini. But S. M. Eklu sealed the win in the 89th minute, finishing from close range after Varela's cross cut through the Napoli defence.
The Turning Point
Politano's 61st-minute penalty miss followed by the rebound goal felt like a potential momentum shift, but Napoli's disjointed shape — the result of 13 substitutions across the match — never allowed sustained pressure. The decisive moment came earlier: Gilli's 56th-minute goal from a corner, scored against a makeshift backline that had only been on the pitch together for 10 minutes.
Key Performers
- M. Gilli (Arezzo): Scored the crucial second goal and marshalled the Arezzo defence across both halves. Player of the match.
- M. Politano (Napoli): Napoli's most dangerous attacker, scored the consolation goal and created chances despite the disjointed second-half XI.
- A. Cerri (Arezzo): Clinical header to open the scoring, setting the tone for the upset.
- Giovane (Napoli): The Brazilian winger impressed in the first half, starting on the right of the front three and providing the brightest spark of Napoli's opening 45 minutes.
By the Numbers — Interpreted
Napoli made 13 substitutions to Arezzo's 12, a reflection of early pre-season squad management. The scoreline undersells Napoli's territorial control — they had sustained spells of pressure, particularly after Politano's goal — but the defensive errors were stark. Both Arezzo's first and third goals came from basic defensive lapses: a failure to track Cerri's run from a cross, and Obaretin's misplaced horizontal pass to Lobotka that was intercepted to start the move for Eklu's clincher. Lucca's post (after a sharp turn and shot) and Politano's rebound goal were Napoli's only clear-cut chances.
What It Means
It is one friendly, but the result mirrors exactly what happened 12 months ago: Conte lost 2-0 to Arezzo in his first pre-season match, and Allegri has now lost 3-1. The wider context matters — Napoli are without their World Cup players (Buongiorno, Beukema, Olivera) and still in the early transfer window. New signings Rafa Marin and Miguel Gutiérrez both started the first half. Lucca's ankle injury, suffered late in the match, will be assessed in the coming days.
Napoli continue their pre-season against Carrarese on 26 July, still in Dimaro. Arezzo, newly promoted to Serie B, will take confidence from a second consecutive pre-season statement.
Verdict
A result that means nothing for the season ahead but confirms Napoli are still a work in progress under Allegri's new system. The defensive organisation, particularly from set pieces, needs work before Serie A begins. Arezzo, organised and clinical, took their chances with the ruthlessness of a side that knows its identity.
Sources: Provider payload (API-Sports), Sky Sport Italia, La Gazzetta dello Sport, DAZN.
Match Events
Napoli and Arezzo have met 1 times — Napoli won 0, Arezzo won 1, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2025. Arezzo leads the head-to-head with 1 victory from 1 meeting. A combined 2 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 2.00 per match (0 for the home side, 2 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 0 matches (0%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 0 games (0%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 0–2 in 2025.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 22 Jul 2026
Gallery
