Allegri Will Miss Juventus Touchline Return After Deciding Against Appeal

Massimiliano Allegri will be absent from Napoli’s bench against Juventus on Sunday as he serves the second match of a two-game suspension. Allegri decided not to appeal after his dismissal against Roma.

Allegri confirmed that decision at Tuesday’s prematch press conference. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that he had accepted the sanction and was focused on improving his side rather than reopening the disciplinary dispute.

Serie A’s sporting judge imposed the two-match ban and a €10,000 fine following the October 24 game at the Maradona. The decision concerned his behavior toward match officials and an opposing club official, according to Sky Sport Italia’s account of the ruling.

The two league matches covered by the suspension were Wednesday’s visit to Monza and Sunday’s game in Turin. Napoli initially planned an appeal after requesting the case documents, but Allegri’s subsequent announcement removed that prospective route to a return at Juventus.

Assistant Marco Landucci is expected to take the bench at the Allianz Stadium. The fixture is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. EST on November 1, making the absence relevant to Allegri’s first league visit there with Napoli this season.

Allegri said the greater disappointment was failing to beat Roma after what he considered a good performance. He also said the team needed to improve its distribution of the ball and recover injured players, rather than treating the ban as the central problem.

His opposite number, Luciano Spalletti, said Saturday that he would have liked to have Allegri on the neighboring bench and intended to seek him out afterward. The Juventus coach described him as a friend and a strong coach.

The suspension applies to the touchline for the league games. With those two matches served, Allegri’s next Serie A opportunity to return to the bench is Napoli’s November 8 home game against Lazio.