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โThere was once the best defence in Europe,โ reads the article title from Tuttomercatoweb, and for Napoli fans, that era already feels like a distant memory. The devastating 6-2 Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven earlier today has brought the clubโs defensive crisis into sharp focus, highlighting the chasm between this seasonโs struggling side and the impregnable wall that secured last yearโs Scudetto.
Just last season, the Partenopei boasted the most robust backline on the continent, conceding a mere 27 goals in the leagueโ33 total across all domestic competitions. It was a foundation of steel, the secret ingredient alongside their attacking flair. Yet, those certainties have been completely swept away.
The humiliation at the Philips Stadion, where six goals were shipped, pushes Napoliโs goals conceded tally for the 2025-2026 season to an alarming 16 goals in just 10 matches across all competitions. This figure represents nearly half of the previous entire campaignโs total, and we are barely into autumn. Despite significant summer reinforcements, coach Antonio Conte is facing an emergency. He must now perform โextraordinary workโ to register a defense that has seemingly forgotten the meaning of solidity and stop the rot before the season completely unravels.
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Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN
