Allegri will watch from the stands. The Napoli coach is suspended for his conduct toward match officials, and assistant Marco Landucci will take the dugout at the Allianz Stadium, where the two sides meet level on points after nine matches.

The visitors’ problems run deeper than the bench. Stanislav Lobotka is sidelined with syndesmosis and ligament damage in his ankle and is targeting a return in the Coppa Italia on 16 December. Alessandro Buongiorno, David Neres and Benoit Badiashile also miss out, leaving Landucci short in central areas for a fixture Spalletti has described in stark terms.

“We need to be a balanced team because we are going into an extremely difficult match,” Spalletti said at his pre-match press conference.

Juventus’s injury list is just as long

The hosts arrive with their own absentees. Kenan Yildiz is not expected back until early December after foot surgery, Khephren Thuram will miss games into early 2027 following knee surgery, and captain Manuel Locatelli is out for the rest of the season after meniscus surgery. Goalkeeper Kamil Grabara’s year has ended with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and Nico Gonzalez, Zeki Çelik and Francisco Conceição are not expected back until after the international break. Jeff Ekhator is available again, giving Spalletti one option back.

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The backdrop is a 2-0 defeat at Genoa in midweek. Spalletti told reporters his side had to do something different and that what he was asking for was a change of mindset rather than a change of system.

Spalletti wants to speak with Allegri after the match

The two head coaches know each other well. Allegri was appointed by Napoli on 3 July on a contract until 30 June 2029, replacing Antonio Conte, and he will spend Sunday night watching from a distance rather than directing a side he has had less than four months to shape.

“I would be pleased to have Max alongside me on the bench. I will go and find him after the match because he is a great friend,” Spalletti told the pre-match press conference.

Both sides sit on 14 points from nine matches, with Napoli ahead on goal difference. Spalletti is expected to keep a 3-5-2 with Nick Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani paired in attack, while Landucci is likely to send Napoli out in a 4-3-2-1 built around Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund.

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Kick-off at the Allianz Stadium is at 8:45pm local time on Sunday, 1 November.

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