Naples and Rudi Garcia are swimming in the middle of a nightmare. If he had taken a break after reassuring results in Serie A in recent weeks, the French technician remained in the hot seat since the start of the season, even though he arrived in Naples last June. But a draw against Union Berlin, in the Champions League (1-1) will have cast doubt on Rudi Garcia, before a fourth defeat at home against Empoli this Sunday, which already sounded like an ultimatum for the future of the ex-manager of Lille, OM or OL.
Before facing the 17th in Serie A at kick-off, Rudi Garcia had already been criticized by the press for his tactical choices, and in particular the fact of having left Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the bench. “It’s just to make sure he catches his breath and can make the difference in the second half (…) I have a different game plan because we need to score goals”, he had justified himself before the meeting. A tactic which did not work at all, since the Neapolitans lost for the fourth time this season at home, on a goal from Kovalenko in stoppage time (1-0).
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Rudi Garcia absent from press conference
Without even seeing the end of the match, president Aurelio De Laurentiis decided to leave his seat after the goal conceded, aware that his club could finish the day in 5th place, before the international break, and thus offering Empoli the possibility of get out of the red zone. All, under the whistles and boos of a furious Diego Armando Maradona stadium, who had already expressed his anger at the announcement of the team composition and the absence of Kvara.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Aurelio De Laurentiis would have spoken to his locker room at half-time of the match and would not have yet decided for the future of the French coach. However, Rudi Garcia left the field without speaking to the press, just like all of his players and staff. A complete and astonishing silence, but common during this type of crisis in Naples. However, the Partenopei suffered their third defeat in three matches, before the Championship break. In the midst of a crisis, De Laurentiis will have a week’s break to make a decision, after 12 disputed days.
