Napoli midfielder Tanguy Ndombele was rated 5.5/10 by all Italian sports papers after Napoli-Milan, highlighting that the Tottenham loanee lost possession in the first half, leading to Olivier Giroud’s opener.
The French midfielder replaced the suspended André Zambo-Anguissa in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals at the Stadio Maradona against Milan on Tuesday.
All Italian sports papers, Gazzetta, Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport, issued the same verdict on the 26-year-old who ‘made a good impression’ in the opening minutes of the match.
However, the negative turning point for the Napoli midfielder was at the end of the first half, precisely at minute 42, when he lost the ball at the edge of Milan’s box and was unable to regain possession with Rafael Leao, who led a deadly counter-attack resulting in Olivier Giroud’s opener.
‘He never bounced back,’ noted Gazzetta, while Corriere dello Sport added that the midfielder ‘should have controlled the ball easily. Instead, he lost it and the trouble was that Leao was close by. Good night.’
Ndombele moved to the Stadio Maradona on loan from Tottenham last summer and the Partenopei have a €30m option to make his move permanent at the end of the season. However, the latest reports in Italy claim the Serie A leaders have decided against signing him permanently and may try to negotiate a lower transfer fee with the North Londoners.
Ndombele has made 37 appearances with the Partenopei this season, scoring two goals.