Napoli are in crisis, and the situation is becoming harder to ignore. A 4-1 Champions League defeat at Porto last week exposed deep problems within Massimiliano Allegri's squad, from defensive frailty to a public falling-out between Kevin De Bruyne and substitute Lorenzo Lucca during the second half. The result left Napoli with just three points from four European games, and the pressure on Allegri intensified further when his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's game against Lazio was cancelled without warning, catching journalists off guard at Castel Volturno.

The Lazio match itself ended 1-1, a result that did little to lift the mood. Napoli came from behind to equalise through a Lazio own goal, but a win was needed, not a point. They sit 10th in Serie A with 15 points from 11 games, well adrift of Gattuso's Lazio at the top. Allegri insisted after the draw that his side remains in contention, but the squad's injury list tells a different story. Giovanni Di Lorenzo has been confirmed with a long adductor injury, joining Buongiorno, Lobotka, Neres, Spinazzola and others already sidelined.

President Aurelio De Laurentiis visited the training ground earlier this week in an attempt to restore calm, though no immediate managerial change appears imminent. Napoli host Torino on 21 November, a fixture that is quickly becoming a must-win if confidence is to be rebuilt before the situation deteriorates further.