The dethroned Italian champions, SSC Napoli, are banking on a veteran coach: Max Allegri is expected to win as many titles with the club as he once did with Juventus Turin.
Perhaps that was exactly what was at stake in this stronghold of superstition. Twelve years ago, Max Allegri succeeded Antonio Conte at Juventus after Conte had stormed out of Turin in a fit of rage over a lack of investment in the transfer market. Count (amusing enough, “conte” in Italian) Max took the stage and nonchalantly led Juve to five consecutive Scudetti and two Champions League finals.
Something should not be repeated
Napoli owner Aurelio de Laurentiis had always kept that scenario tucked away in a corner of his memory, and despite Allegri’s disastrous second half of the season at Milan, he dug it out again. What worked in Turin might just work perfectly in Naples as well. Farewell to Antonio Conte after the 2025 championship and a modest second season; welcome to Allegri, who, as the club’s tweet put it, “is proud to be one of us.”
At 4.5 million euros for the next three years, pride isn’t exactly a complicated emotion, and in any case, Allegri will get to compete in the Champions League going forward—a tournament he comically blew on the final matchday with AC Milan. Moreover, the coach will be relieved to have finally escaped the chaotic management turmoil at Milan. Allegri had already been signed by SSC as a player in late 1997 and, in just seven appearances, experienced the painful relegation to Serie B. Napoli, however, brushed aside this omen, as the club now has far more ambitious goals following a painful period that even led to a stint in the third division.
Celebrations and Necessary Measures
The primary factor behind this is undoubtedly de Laurentiis, who took over 22 years ago and transformed the club into a title contender. Allegri will be their 13th head coach, joining a roster that includes such prominent names as Carlo Ancelotti, Maurizio Sarri, Rafael Benítez, and, most recently, Conte. Allegri will be officially introduced on July 14 at the Teatro San Carlo, where the program for the azure-and-blue celebration will also be unveiled. SSC Napoli will celebrate its 100th anniversary in August. The festivities will kick off on July 31 with the organized fan clubs hosting the “100 Years of Amore” celebration with all the trimmings—including, of course, an event dedicated to Maradona.
However, after two years of financial losses, the club must keep a cool, level head when it comes to business. Before bringing in new players, the roster and payroll must be reduced; the future of the two high-earning Belgians, Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku (contracts through 2027), will not be decided until after the World Cup. “Without the injuries, we would have won the championship again,” said de Laurentiis—so Allegri really just needs to keep the squad healthy…
