While Napoli is sluggish at the start of the season, supporters of the reigning champions are already calling for the departure of Rudi Garcia.
It was both a golden opportunity and perhaps a poisoned chalice. By succeeding Luciano Spalletti at the head of Napoli, Rudi Garcia has recovered a brilliant reigning Italian champion. Somehow, he could only do worse, and that is the case now.
Naples has taken eight points over the first four days of Serie A, and is therefore five points behind an impressive leader, Inter Milan. But more than the accounting situation, it is the manner which calls out, as during the draw conceded on the lawn of Genoa (2-2). The Partenopei were down 2-0, and did not put a single shot on target until the 72nd minute, before reacting well.
Gazzetta: “Rudi #Garciawhat are you doing?” Difficult start to the season for the new Napoli coach, unrecognizable players and evaporated magic. A team which is no longer one and which does not seem to absorb the things asked by its new coach. pic.twitter.com/h6IJRlWzUH
— GuillaumeMP (@Guillaumemp) September 18, 2023
“Rudi Garcia, what are you doing?” », already asks the Gazzetta dello Sport. In the thumbnail, we see the annoyed face of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at the time of his replacement against Genoa. No one understood this change, and especially not the Georgian, who said the words quoted by the Italian daily. In the 89th minute, when Napoli had just recovered to 2-2 and were pushing for victory, Rudi Garcia brought out the best player in Serie A last season to launch Alessio Zerbin, a 24-year-old striker who was not had not yet played a single minute this season.
Ptdrrrr Kvara who lets out a “but what are you doing?” to Garcia after he announced his change to Zerbin pic.twitter.com/tXJ1mxJBCs
— SSC Napoli France (@NapoliCFrance) September 16, 2023
Former Neapolitan leader Enrico Fedele is very critical of the French coach. “If I had been on the bench after the Zerbin change, I would have said to Garcia: ‘Now you have to go.’ Kvara should never be replaced. The team is poorly trained, they even run less than the referee, the president must take immediate action. »
After being spoiled last season, with this title that they had been waiting for since the Diego Maradona years, and above all a flamboyant style of play, Napoli supporters have already launched the hashtag #GarciaOUT to demand the head of their coach. With two trips this week, to Braga in the Champions League then to Bologna in the championship, Rudi Garcia is already under great pressure.
