Billy Gilmour celebrates his goal for Napoli at Florence’s Stadio Artemio Franchi on Sept 20, 2026.
Allegri outlined Napoli’s unexpected selections for the Champions League trip to Villarreal, hoping the performance matches the result.
The match kicks off at Estadio de la Cerámica at 20:00 UK time (21:00 CEST).
You can follow the build‑up and live action alongside the Inter‑Club Brugge game on the Liveblog.
After a 1‑0 home loss to Arsenal, Napoli’s confidence revived with a 3‑0 Serie A win over Frosinone on Saturday. For my money, that 3‑0 thrashing proves Napoli can rebound quickly.
Allegri reshuffles Napoli squad
‘Giovane came on well, Spinazzola expended a lot of energy on Saturday, so we introduced fresh legs like McTominay and Gilmour. We hope it goes well, we’ll see if the result follows,’ Allegri smiled on Sky Sport Italia.
McTominay makes his first start since heart surgery on Sept 8, while Anguissa, Olivera, Vergara, Santos, Favasuli and Buongiorno remain sidelined.
‘It’s normal to need points in a crucial match, yet it’s tough. Seven games remain to secure the needed tally, so a good start tonight against a strong foe would help,’ he said.
To fill the void, Giovane was added to the UEFA squad in place of Favasuli and thrust straight into the starting XI for his Champions League debut.
‘Giovane can operate near Hojlund or drift wider. With Neres returning from injury and Lang spent energy on Saturday, Giovane’s form merits this chance,’ Allegri noted.
Villarreal fell 3‑2 to Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League opener and lost 1‑0 to Real Madrid in LaLiga, where Vinicius was sent off for pulling Nathan Saliba’s hair.
Goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi was set to start but withdrew after his home was targeted in an armed robbery last night, his family present.