Napoli expected to switch to 3‑5‑2 for Villarreal as both seek first Champions League points

Napoli’s expected move to a 3-5-2 puts Billy Gilmour in the frame for a midfield start as Massimiliano Allegri’s side try to avoid a second straight Champions League defeat. Villarreal also enter the match without a point after losing their opener, making this an early chance for either side to get its league-phase campaign moving.

Napoli lost 1-0 at home to Arsenal, while Villarreal went down 3-2 away to Borussia Dortmund. Calciomercato expects Allegri to use Vanja Milinković-Savić in goal and pair Rasmus Højlund with Giovane in attack. The predicted midfield includes Gilmour, Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay, Matteo Politano and Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

Gilmour’s place is not settled. Calciomercato presents him or Stanislav Lobotka as the choice in midfield, while Tuttomercatoweb names Gilmour and reports that Allegri will change his goalkeeper. Giovane is also competing with Noa Lang for the second forward spot, so the predicted front two carries its own selection question.

Napoli are missing André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Vergara, Favasuli, Mathías Olivera and Alisson Santos. Villarreal will be without Pepe and Tajon Buchanan. Those absences add to the selection decisions for both coaches, but Napoli’s central question is whether Gilmour gets the nod in a reshaped midfield.

The match kicks off at 21:00. For Napoli, the stakes are clear: after the Arsenal loss, another defeat would leave Allegri’s team with back-to-back losses to begin the campaign. Napoli are eighth in Serie A with 10 points from six games, and their next league fixture is away to Venezia on October 17. For now, the immediate priority is to take a first Champions League point from Villarreal.