Manna Explains Lang's Exclusion: "Inappropriate Behavior, He'll Watch the Match With Me"

Just minutes before the kickoff of Napoli-Arsenal, Sporting Director Giovanni Manna spoke about the upcoming Champions League debut for Massimiliano Allegri's squad, who are facing the reigning European and English champions. Amidst discussions of the field and the transfer market, which closed on September 1st, Manna also took the opportunity to explain the surprising exclusion of Noa Lang.

Napoli, Manna to Prime Video: 'Fans Expected More from the Market, But We...'

Speaking to Amazon Prime Video before the Napoli-Arsenal match, Sporting Director Giovanni Manna stated: 'The fans expected something more from the market. We were aware that we had a suitable squad; the market in Italy was strange, and we preferred to make minimal changes to avoid upsetting the balance that had been created. We've had many injuries, although that's not an excuse. We'll see in December.' Regarding criticism of Allegri after the San Siro match, Manna remained unfazed: 'Criticism is always part of the game. This job can elevate you to the stars one day and drop you to the ground the next, it's normal. Against Como, we made mistakes, which we also made in Milan. But yesterday, we saw Inter's quality, and against them, we played a very good game. Today will be extremely difficult; we need to make fewer mistakes. Criticism is fair if it's constructive.'

Manna to Sky: 'Too Early for Alarm Bells'

Giovanni Manna also commented to Sky Sport: 'We've approached the hours before tonight as we always do when facing a great team, with attention, curiosity, and a desire to compete on a stage like this. It's too early for alarm bells; we've won one and lost two, making significant errors in those losses. Against Inter, we created a lot and made mistakes against a team that had a great performance in Madrid yesterday.'

Manna on Lang: 'Not Even in the Squad List for Inappropriate Behavior'

Moving from the league to the Champions League, Sporting Director Manna said: 'We need to be calm but not complacent; we want to get results starting tonight, even though it's a very challenging match. From tomorrow, we'll focus on the league, trying to recover some players and energy. De Bruyne? His first season was last year, and he got injured, but he brings us quality and experience. He can help us in these games, but Napoli is not just him. The team has values, and we need to show them on the field.' On Lang's absence from the official squad list, he added: 'He did not behave appropriately, and therefore, he will watch the match with me. He has apologized to the group and the coach, and the matter is closed.'