Napoli are in the middle of their worst Serie A start in a decade, and the situation is serious enough to force Massimiliano Allegri into a tactical rethink. Five games in, the club sit ninth with seven points, a return that reflects a squad operating well below expectations. The 1-1 draw at Fiorentina offered a small measure of relief after a run that included defeats to Inter, Como and Arsenal, but it has done little to ease the pressure building around the club.

The injury list is making Allegri's job considerably harder. Alessandro Buongiorno, signed to anchor the defence, has not featured since undergoing knee surgery in the summer and remains weeks away from returning. Scott McTominay, who had resumed training after a cardiac ablation procedure in early September, now faces a further delay to his comeback, with reports suggesting he could miss several more fixtures in both Serie A and the Champions League. Young full-back Costantino Favasuli picked up a muscle injury on international duty with Italy Under-21, adding another name to an already stretched squad.

There are some encouraging signs. David Neres showed promising form in Fiorentina before the international break after months out with an ankle injury, while Kevin De Bruyne scored twice for Belgium against Turkey, signalling his sharpness ahead of Napoli's return to action. The next test arrives on October 10 at the Maradona against Frosinone, a match Allegri is expected to approach with a new tactical shape.