About a year ago, Napoli were preparing for a season with the Scudetto as their main objective. In addition to a strong transfer market campaign and participation in the Champions League, the Partenopei were aiming to successfully defend their league title.
Today, however, we find ourselves discussing a season heavily affected by injuries.
Partly because of these continuous fitness problems, Antonio Conte’s side were almost never able to genuinely compete for the Scudetto and also disappointed in the Champions League. Now, following Conte’s departure, president Aurelio De Laurentiis has decided to hand the keys of the dressing room to Massimiliano Allegri…
Massimiliano Allegri’s Playing Style and His Milan in 2025/26
Although he is not a possession-obsessed coach, Allegri’s build-up play was far from simplistic. At Milan, we often saw not only the goalkeeper and defenders involved in the first phase of possession, but also the two holding midfielders, whose role was to help start attacks and attract the opposition press.
The aim was to create space further up the pitch and exploit it with direct passes towards the striker.
Once the first line of pressure had been bypassed, Milan’s main objectives were to isolate the wingers, deliver crosses into the box, or attack the space in behind the opposition defence.
Out of possession, the Rossoneri generally defended in a fairly passive low block. Opposing defenders were often allowed time and space on the ball up to the midfield area.
The idea was to create central congestion and force opponents to play wide, before increasing the pressure in those areas. In short, Milan played a patient, reactive style of football designed to exploit transitions and counter-attacks.
Allegri’s objective was therefore to minimize risks and rely on the individual quality of his attacking players.
Players Who Could Thrive Under Allegri
Napoli are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation this season, and the players who could benefit the most from Allegri’s arrival are:
André-Frank Zambo Anguissa
Last season, despite a strong start that saw him score four goals and provide one assist in the opening nine league matches, his campaign was heavily disrupted by injuries.
Under Allegri, however, the Cameroonian midfielder could be set for a resurgence. In addition to being technically sound in possession, Anguissa is excellent in duels, physically dominant, and possesses a powerful shot—all qualities highly valued by the former Milan coach.
Furthermore, within a system built around balance and central compactness, he has the potential to become a dominant presence in midfield.
Alisson Santos
After arriving in January and helping Napoli secure qualification for the Champions League, Alisson Santos is now looking to establish himself once again this season.
Last year, he brought creativity, unpredictability, and freshness to an attack that was struggling due to the team’s injury crisis.
Allegri has always appreciated wide players capable of providing pace, dribbling ability, and penetration in transition, making the Brazilian winger a potentially key figure in Napoli’s attacking setup next season as well.
Rasmus Højlund
Although strikers have not always flourished under Allegri, Højlund could prove to be an exception.
Last season, he played a crucial role in Conte’s system, scoring twelve goals and providing five assists.
Allegri often looks for immediate verticality during transitions, and the Danish striker is an expert at attacking space behind defensive lines.
The former Manchester United forward is also highly effective at using his physicality to link play with his back to goal, allowing teammates to join attacks and making him an ideal fit for Allegri’s direct and transition-based approach.
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