Napoli's European campaign is in serious trouble. A 3-1 defeat at Villarreal on Tuesday means Allegri's side have lost both of their Champions League fixtures and sit on zero points, making the path to the knockout rounds significantly harder with six games still to play. The defeat was particularly damaging because Napoli had taken an early lead through Rrahmani, only to collapse after a costly error gifted Villarreal the equaliser. The team then struggled to respond, conceding a third late on as fatigue and tactical frailty exposed familiar problems. Allegri was direct after the final whistle, criticising his players for becoming frantic after going behind rather than staying composed.

The result has sharpened focus on a deeper issue: Napoli have now lost four of their first eight games across all competitions. Questions persist around Kevin De Bruyne's best position and a defence that continues to concede at concerning moments. The 3-0 win over Frosinone in Serie A, which had offered some optimism after the international break, now looks more like a false dawn than a turning point.

There is at least some good news from the training ground. Alisson, Anguissa and Olivera have all returned to group training, giving Allegri more options as the squad prepares for Saturday's Serie A visit to Venezia. Napoli currently sit eighth in the table with ten points from six games, and a positive result at the Stadio Penzo is needed to keep pace with the sides above them.