Napoli began their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 loss against Arezzo, a disappointing result that saw the debuts of notable new acquisitions, including Kevin De Bruyne, Noa Lang, Lorenzo Lucca, and Sam Beukema.
This match, held at the Dimaro training camp, served as the initial summer test for Antonio Conte`s squad as they prepare to defend their Serie A title.
With Scott McTominay and Matteo Politano sidelined by minor muscle injuries, Conte deployed a 4-3-3 formation. The starting lineup featured several new faces, including De Bruyne, Lucca, Lang, and Luca Marianucci.
Former Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne had an early chance, shooting over the bar after receiving a pass from Alessandro Zanoli. He also showed promising link-up play with Noa Lang on several occasions.
Arezzo opened the scoring from the penalty spot when Noa Lang fouled Pattarello, who then successfully converted the kick past Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret.
For the second half, Conte made significant changes, substituting 10 players and retaining only Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa from the first-half lineup. Sam Beukema was among those who came on, making his debut appearance.
Napoli came close to leveling the score, with David Neres having two shots saved following a cross from Leonardo Spinazzola. The Brazilian forward later hit the post after being set up by Romelu Lukaku.
Neres remained a threat, narrowly missing with an acrobatic attempt. However, Arezzo secured their second goal late in the game when Varela capitalized on a misdirected header from Pasquale Mazzocchi, converting a one-on-one opportunity.
Match Summary
Napoli 0-2 Arezzo
- Pattarello pen 38 (A)
- Varela 90 (A)
Napoli Lineup
Napoli: Meret (Contini 46); Di Lorenzo (Mazzocchi 46), Marianucci (Rrahmani 46), Juan Jesus (Beukema 46), Olivera (Spinazzola 46); Anguissa, Hasa (Lobotka 46), De Bruyne (Raspadori 46); Zanoli (Zerbin 46), Lucca (Lukaku 46), Lang (Neres 46)
