Napoli, last season’s Serie A champions, have had an odd start to the season. First the departure of Kim Min-jae (26-Bayern Munich), then a shaky defense, and now ‘ace’ Hvitsa Kvarachelia (22) has made a disgruntled gesture at head coach Rudi Garcia (59-France).
After opening with two straight wins, Napoli have fallen into a slump with one draw and one loss in their last two games. After losing 1-2 to Lazio at home, they drew 2-2 with Genoa after the international break.
If the result against Genoa was unsatisfactory, there was an even more worrying development. In the 44th minute, Garcia took Kvarachelia off and brought on Alessio Zervin (24). After the game, Kvarachelia looked at the bench with a disgruntled expression and waved his fingers together. 온라인바카라
It’s a signature gesture of frustration in Italy. With a goal in hand and not a defensive resource, Kvarachelia didn’t understand Garcia’s choice to substitute him.
Gervinho finished the game without any impact, recording just three touches. He was unable to replace the presence of Kvarachelia, who was the most active member of the attacking line with four shots and one successful dribble. Napoli failed to find the back of the net, earning just a point against Genoa.
Alfredo Pedulla, an Italian soccer journalist, took to social media on Sunday to criticize Garcia, saying, “No one in the world would replace Kvarachelia with Gervinho.” Pedulla also criticized Garcia’s use of Victor Osimhen, 24, and his tactics.
Napoli won their first Serie A title in 33 years last season under Luciano Spalletti (64-Italy). Spalletti’s brilliant tactics, combined with the unexpected growth of his players, dominated the Serie A landscape. However, Spalletti left the club after the season due to contractual issues with owner Aurelio De Laurentiis (74-Italy).
With Kim Min-jae, a key part of the defense, also heading to Bayern Munich, Napoli were forced to make changes. Garcia, who previously coached LOSCille, AS Roma, and Olympique Lyonnais, was appointed as the new boss, but the team’s early season form has been shaky.