Napoli are in serious trouble. Back-to-back defeats against Juventus and Porto have left the club eighth in Serie A with 14 points from 10 games, and their Champions League campaign is now in real danger after a 4-1 hammering at the Estadio do Dragão that exposed deep problems both on and off the pitch.

The defeat in Portugal was more damaging than the scoreline alone. A public argument between Kevin De Bruyne and substitute Lorenzo Lucca during the second half, combined with reported friction involving Matteo Politano and a tense exchange between Rasmus Hojlund and Allegri, brought internal tensions into the open. The fallout was swift. President Aurelio De Laurentiis travelled to the Castel Volturno training ground on Friday, where the squad has been placed in a retreat ahead of Sunday's home league fixture against Lazio.

The injury situation is making Allegri's task harder by the week. Giovanni Di Lorenzo has been confirmed with a long adductor injury sustained at Juventus, while De Bruyne's ankle problem forced him off at half-time in Turin before he recovered to start in Porto. With Di Lorenzo sidelined and a shortage of full-backs already a concern, the squad depth is being stretched at the worst possible time.

Napoli host Lazio on Sunday at 12:30, a match that now carries significant weight. Gattuso's side lead Serie A and arrive in form, making this a fixture that could define the direction of Allegri's tenure at the club.