Massimiliano Allegri’s scathing remark: “It’s better to drop the appeal, otherwise…”

The controversy surrounding Napoli following the heated final minutes of their match against Roma has not yet subsided, even though the 3-3 draw with the Giallorossi took place on Saturday and the midweek match on Wednesday night at Monza is already just around the corner. In fact, the aftermath of the final minutes of the match at the “Maradona” stadium continues to dominate the headlines, with Massimiliano Allegri sent off and subsequently suspended for two matches.

The Livorno-born coach, speaking at a press conference on the eve of the away match in Brianza, explained in no uncertain terms why the club decided not to file an appeal. “What’s done is done,” he said. “At a certain point, it’s best to accept the decision, forgo the appeal, and move on, because the risk is ending up with a four-match suspension instead of two.”

Allegri then clarified what he truly regrets: “The suspension is secondary for me. What bothers me is not having secured the victory after a performance that deserved a different outcome. The rest is just debate—talk that doesn’t change the reality of the situation and doesn’t add points to the standings.”

It was impossible, of course, to avoid addressing the comments attributed to him regarding Roma, in which Allegri reportedly referenced his time at Milan and the Champions League qualification that slipped away at the very last moment—in favor of the Giallorossi. “I read and hear about things I supposedly said… Exactly, ‘supposedly.’ There’s a big difference between the indicative and the conditional. Let’s just laugh it off and leave it at that.”

Finally, a comment on Gian Piero Gasperini’s remarks (“Allegri made an unfortunate statement; the numbers speak for themselves,” said the Grugliasco coach), with the Napoli manager choosing not to further fuel the tension: “I didn’t watch his press conference, and honestly, I’m not interested in delving into it. The matter is closed as far as I’m concerned; the facts can’t be changed: the result stands, and so does the suspension. Now we need to look ahead and get to work.”