3 Serie A clubs Lionel Messi would be perfect for if Ronaldo joins Juventus

#2 Napoli

FC Barcelona v SSC Napoli - Joan Gamper Trophy — Naples is a good destination for the 31-year-old

Juventus have won the Serie A title for seven consecutive seasons and in their most recent league triumph, it was Napoli who gave the Bianconeri a run for their money. At one point in time, it even looked like the Blues could end Juventus's hegemony in Italy, but fell short in the end.

Despite competing with the champions for the title, the club has replaced Maurizio Sarri with former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Sarri preferred the offensive 4-3-3 formation, which Messi is very familiar with at Barcelona. It was Dries Mertens who played upfront, with Lorenzo Insigne and Jose Callejon occupying the flanks. This trio was a hit in the league and racked up 36 goals between them.

With the change in manager, a few changes can be expected at the club and one of them could be Ancelotti bringing in his preferred formation 4-2-3-1. If that is the case, Messi could play behind Mertens, while Insigne and Callejon continue to operate in the wings.

If Napoli's new gaffer decides to stick with his predecessor's style, the Barcelona player could take Callejon's position on the right.

About the author

Dakir is a European and Indian football journalist at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 10 years. Holding a Master’s degree in Journalism & Mass Communication, and currently pursuing Master’s in Sports Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University, he is a seasoned football journalist who has interviewed the likes of former Liverpool star John Arne Riise, covered the entire 2022-23 Indian Super League season of the Kerala Blasters, and has delivered a seminar at an international conference held by St. Albert's College, Ernakulam.

Thanks to his extensive academic background in journalism, Dakir understands the importance of accuracy and spends a significant amount of time researching the subject. In today’s data-driven world of football, where players are perceived as machines, he prides himself amplify the voices of the people that make football the beautiful game that it is.

He started following football in 2013, and more specifically, Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool, and admires Jurgen Klopp for his untouched charisma and unmatched legacy. A perpetual underdog supporter, he is a fan of under-fire Reds forward Darwin Nunez and can’t wait for him to show the world what he truly is. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s iconic “corner taken quickly” corner assist for Divock Origi in Liverpool’s 4-0 UCL semifinal win over Barcelona left a lasting impact on him.

When not writing, Dakir enjoys indulging in his guilty pleasure - watching mass commercial movies.

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Edited by Anirudh Menon