Massimiliano Allegri is facing growing pressure at Napoli after his return to Juventus ended in a 2-0 defeat on Sunday, leaving the Partenopei with 14 points from their opening 10 Serie A matches of the 2026-27 season.
Kerim Alajbegovic and Jeremie Boga scored well-taken goals at the Allianz Stadium as Juventus condemned Napoli to their fourth league defeat of the campaign. Allegri’s side have won four, drawn two and lost four of their first 10 matches, a record that currently leaves them eighth in the table.
Napoli’s European form has added to the concern. They have lost two of their opening three Champions League games, meaning Allegri has suffered six defeats compared with five victories in his first 13 competitive matches as the club’s head coach.
Three major problems are becoming increasingly clear.
The immediate issue is the lack of results, particularly against strong opposition. Napoli have shown occasional promise, including a 3-0 victory over Frosinone and a 4-3 Champions League success against Bodo/Glimt, but they are yet to win one of their major tests this season.
They have been beaten by Como, Inter, Arsenal and Juventus, while Roma held them to a draw at home. Those results have left Napoli struggling to build momentum despite the isolated signs of improvement.
There are also questions about the team’s performances and identity under Allegri. Although Napoli have produced moments of attacking quality, their defensive organisation has been less convincing. That is notable because defensive solidity has traditionally been one of the defining features of an Allegri team.
The condition of the squad is a further concern. Napoli had a notably quiet summer transfer window, and TMW suggests the group appears to be approaching the end of a cycle rather than starting a new chapter under a relatively recently appointed manager.
Allegri can at least point to one encouraging precedent from his own career. His worst start to a Serie A season came in 2015-16, when his Juventus team had collected only 12 points after 10 matches and sat 12th in the table.
That Juventus side recovered to win the Scudetto, but the comparison has clear limitations. The current Napoli squad is not considered to be at the same level as that 2015-16 Juventus team, which was in the process of winning nine consecutive league titles.
Napoli now have the task of reversing their league and Champions League fortunes before pressure on Allegri intensifies further.
