De Laurentiis meets Allegri and Manna, then addresses squad in surprise visit

De Laurentiis visited Castel Volturno to meet with Allegri and Manna, then addressed the squad ahead of Sunday's match against Lazio, reaffirming his backing for the manager.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis made an unscheduled visit to the club's training ground on Friday morning, arriving around 10:30 to hold a meeting with sporting director Manna and manager Massimiliano Allegri. After hearing from both, De Laurentiis addressed the squad directly.

The president reiterated his confidence in Allegri, whom he personally appointed in the summer, but made clear he expects an immediate response starting with Sunday's match against Serie A leaders Lazio. Despite a depleted squad due to injuries, De Laurentiis demanded a change in attitude from the group. Napoli have won just seven of fourteen matches this season and lost their recent Champions League tie to Porto, with tensions boiling over late in that game. De Laurentiis cited excessive nervousness and recent comments from players Politano, Hojlund and McTominay as concerns requiring urgent action. The club entered a training retreat on Friday evening to rebuild squad cohesion.