Massimiliano Allegri has admitted he remains haunted by the manner in which his second stint at AC Milan came to an end — yet he insists he is not arriving at Napoli driven by a desire for redemption.

The veteran Italian coach takes charge of Napoli with his reputation still carrying the weight of that Milan collapse, a period he has not been able to fully set aside. Even so, Allegri is keen to frame his new role on its own terms rather than as a response to past disappointments.

Allegri's return to club management comes after a spell away from the dugout, and his appointment at Napoli represents one of the highest-profile coaching moves in Serie A this cycle. Napoli, a club that won the Scudetto under Luciano Spalletti in 2023, have been searching for stability ever since.

Despite the shadow of Milan lingering, Allegri appears focused on what lies ahead rather than what went wrong before. His message on arriving in Naples is clear — this is a fresh start, not an act of score-settling.