Sacchi criticized Napoli’s pace in the loss in Turin

Arrigo Sacchi shared a critical assessment of Napoli’s performance following their unexpected 1-0 loss away to Torino on Saturday evening. The setback meant the reigning Serie A champions relinquished their position at the top of the league standings.

Napoli travelled to Turin missing several core players. Amir Rrahmani, Scott McTominay, Stanislav Lobotka, Rasmus Højlund and Romelu Lukaku were all sidelined through injury, while Alessandro Buongiorno and Matteo Politano were only fit enough to take a place on the bench. A depleted squad struggled to find rhythm, and Giovanni Simeone’s first-half goal — scored against his parent club — proved decisive as Torino held on for the win.

“Too predictable, too slow”

Writing in his column for La Gazzetta dello Sport, Sacchi argued that Napoli failed to reach the level expected of them despite their absences. He noted that their attacking play lacked creativity and pace, allowing Torino to contain them with relative ease.

“Napoli, even with the major absences, didn’t seem as strong as Conte would have wanted. Their attacking patterns were too easy to read, and overall, they played at a slow tempo,” Sacchi wrote.

When Torino sat deeper after the break, Napoli struggled to break through. Sacchi stressed that the team must address this weakness if they aim to remain competitive at the top.

PSV test looms large

Napoli will have a quick chance to respond when they face PSV Eindhoven away in the Champions League on Tuesday night. Sacchi pointed out that this fixture will reveal whether the Torino loss was merely a temporary lapse or a sign that deeper tactical adjustments are required.

With little time to prepare, all eyes will be on Antonio Conte to see if he can recalibrate his side in time for the European stage.

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