Massimiliano Allegri, Napoli's coach, is dissatisfied with a number of the team's players, especially those with experience, after the team's modest start in the current Italian League season.
The Italian newspaper “La Repubblica” revealed, on Tuesday, that “the honeymoon between Allegri and Napoli is over,” in reference to the increasing tension within the team after five rounds of league competitions have passed.
Napoli scored only seven points from its first five matches, which is its worst start in the Italian League since the 2015/2016 season.
According to “La Repubblica,” the team’s problems are not limited to the technical and tactical aspects or the large number of absences, but also extend to the atmosphere inside the team’s training center.
Allegri expressed his anger after Napoli's 1-1 draw with its host Fiorentina on Sunday, as he appeared frustrated during his speech after the match, before directing clear criticism at his players.
The newspaper indicated that the Italian coach is particularly dissatisfied with the attitude of the experienced players, after he had followed a more flexible approach with them during the preparation for the season.
During the preparation period, Allegri was careful not to burden the veteran players with great physical burdens, and he also tried to provide a calmer atmosphere during training, hoping that this would reflect positively on the team during the season.
But what Napoli presented in the first matches did not match his expectations, so Allegri began to change his style, moving from motivation to sending tougher messages.
Allegri said after the draw against Fiorentina that the Napoli players “are not giving enough,” stressing that the team needs “a different attitude.”
According to La Repubblica newspaper, Belgian Kevin De Bruyne, the former English Manchester City player, is among the players whose level Allegri is not satisfied with.
De Bruyne joined Napoli in 2025, but he has not yet performed at the level expected of him, and he also lost his starting place with former coach Conte during the final months of last season, following his return from a long injury.
The Czech Republic secured the first qualifying ticket to the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup for women's tennis teams (formerly the Federation Cup), by winning its confrontation with Britain 2-0, on Tuesday, in Shenzhen, China.
Marie Bouzkova, ranked 26th in the world, gave the Czechs the first victory after she narrowly defeated Sonay Kartal (127th in the world) 7 - 6 (7 - 2), 4 - 6, 6 - 4.
Then Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, ranked sixth in the world, sealed her country’s qualification by defeating fifty-fourth-ranked Katie Poulter 6-2, 7-6 (7-3); Which eliminated the need to play a doubles match.
The Czech Republic, which is considered the most prominent candidate to win the title with four players ranked in the top 30 in the world, in addition to the first seed in doubles, Katerina Siniakova, will face in the semi-finals on Friday, with Spain or Kazakhstan, which is missing the world number one Elena Rybakina after she withdrew in the last moments.
Bouzkova was chosen over world number eight Karolina Muchova to play the first singles match, and she needed nearly 3 hours to overcome Kartal, who was playing her first official match since suffering a stress fracture in her back in March.
The Czech woman lost her serve at the beginning of the first two sets, and also fell behind with a break of serve in the decisive set. This allowed Kartal to lead 2-1, but it maintained its calm, regained the break directly, then won four consecutive games to advance 5-2.
While it seemed that she was on her way to deciding the match, Bouzkova wasted 3 decisive opportunities on her opponent’s serve.
Kartal took advantage of this to compensate for its deficit by breaking serve, reducing the gap to 4-5, but it suddenly collapsed and lost the next game cleanly and then the match.
The winner said in the press conference, “It was a big battle,” adding in reference to Kartal: “To play at this level after an absence of 6 months... You deserve all my respect.”
Thanks to the strength of her serve and a faltering start from Poulter, Noskova achieved victory much faster than Bozhukova (1 hour and 39 minutes).
The Czech Republic occupies second place in terms of the countries that have won the most titles in this competition (11, including five in the name of Czechoslovakia), behind the United States, which has 18 titles.
On the other hand, Britain has never won the title, but it reached the semi-finals in three of the last four editions.
Benjamin Sisko, the Manchester United striker, is focusing heavily on his recovery from a recurring leg injury.
Cisco (23 years old) joined Manchester United in August 2025, coming from RB Leipzig, and scored 12 goals in his first season with the English team, but he suffered a leg injury in May, causing him to miss all of his team’s friendly matches in preparation for the new season.
Sisko scored two goals in the first 6 matches of this season, but his leg injury resurfaced, causing him to miss Manchester United’s 1-1 league draw with Fulham on Sunday, and he was excluded from the Slovenia national team roster.
Cisco wrote on his Instagram account: “I feel very sorry for my absence from the national team. Because I love representing Slovenia, and I will remain proud of that, and the most important thing now is to focus on the recovery process.”
The international striker continued: “I seek to return to the field as soon as possible, to help my team and my country again.”
Sisko stressed: “I have great confidence in my colleagues, and that they will continue to perform in high spirit. I am eager to wear the national team jersey again, and now I will be Slovenia’s biggest fan.”
The Slovenian national team will host its Scottish counterpart on Saturday, and conclude the three-week international break with a confrontation at Hampden Park, including a home confrontation against North Macedonia, and will be a guest against Switzerland in the European Nations League competitions.
As for Manchester United, it will resume its campaign after the break by hosting Tottenham on October 10, after which it will face difficult confrontations outside its stadium against Atletico Madrid of Spain, Leeds and Como of Italy.
Cisco's absence will represent a major blow to Manchester United's attack, given the failure of coach Michael Carrick's efforts to include a new striker during the summer transfer period.
Cisco entered a list of 4 Manchester United players who were excluded from their country's national teams this month, including the English duo Kobe Maino and Marcus Rashford, and the Welshman Karl Darlow.
