Allegri banned for Juventus reunion as Napoli lodge appeal
Massimiliano Allegri will not be on the Napoli bench when his side visit the Allianz Stadium on Sunday night. Serie A’s sporting judge has suspended the former Juventus coach for two matches following his dismissal against Roma, although Napoli have confirmed they will challenge the decision.
The ban means one of the most talked about reunions of the autumn could take place without its main character in the dugout, unless the appeal goes Napoli’s way before the weekend.
Why Allegri was banned
Allegri was sent off late in Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Roma at the Maradona, reacting furiously after Leonardo Balerdi struck a late equaliser for the visitors. As Football Italia reported, he removed his jacket and walked away before returning and having to be held back by his own staff.
The judge’s ruling, published on Monday and detailed by Sky Sport Italia, goes further than the touchline incident. Allegri was punished for an insulting remark aimed at the match officials in the 90th minute, a seriously disrespectful comment directed at them in the dressing room area afterwards, and aggressive behaviour towards an executive of the opposing club. The first two were noted by the fourth official and the referee, the last by staff working for the federal prosecutor.
On top of the suspension, the 59-year-old has been fined €10,000.
Monza first, then Juventus
The two games Allegri is set to miss are both away from home. Napoli travel to Monza in the midweek round on Wednesday 28 October, before heading to Turin to face Juventus on Sunday 1 November, with both matches kicking off at 20:45 local time.
If the ban stands, his first game back on the bench would be the home fixture against Lazio on Sunday 8 November.
Napoli fight the decision
Napoli moved quickly. In a short club statement on Monday afternoon, the Partenopei said that, having requested access to the official documents, they would lodge an appeal against the two match suspension handed to their coach.
Sky Sport Italia notes that a successful appeal would open the door for Allegri to take his place on the bench in Turin. Italian reports suggest the case should be heard before the end of the week, so the picture ought to be clear before Sunday.
What it means for Juventus
For Juventus supporters, any meeting with Allegri carries extra weight. He led the club across two spells, the second of which ended in May 2024, and he remains one of the most successful coaches in its history.
Luciano Spalletti’s side head into the week in a better mood after ending a 35 day wait for a league win with the 2-0 victory at Lecce, which lifted them to seventh on 14 points. Douglas Luiz was among the scorers that night, as covered in our report on his first goal for the club.
Whether or not Allegri is in the dugout, Napoli will arrive as a dangerous opponent. You can follow every twist in his relationship with the Bianconeri on our Massimiliano Allegri page.
Sources: Sky Sport Italia, SSC Napoli, Football Italia
