Allegri stays as Napoli coach after Lazio draw, but 10th place demands a quick turnaround

Napoli remain with Allegri in charge after the 1-1 draw with Lazio. Talk of a sacking, or of contact with possible replacements, is not confirmed. President De Laurentiis is not speaking to other coaches, and the club has given Allegri no signal that a change is close. As of Sunday 8 November, the job is not under discussion, at least inside the club.

Frattesi put Lazio ahead on 28 minutes. Napoli's point came from a Pedraza own goal on 48. In a match where they had to answer the league leaders, Napoli did not score through their own players.

Napoli are 10th with 15 points after 11 matches, with Bologna moving above them on Saturday. Nobody at Napoli intends to accept that, and as far as we understand the club does not either. The draw with Lazio has to be a point to restart from, and the team cannot settle for a table like this. The pace has to change, starting when football resumes after the international break. The time given to Allegri has a deadline.

Our view: trust is not a result, it is a promissory note. With fourth place the stated target and eight points separating Napoli from it, the margin for error is close to zero. Responsibility is shared. The coach answers for what happens on the pitch, and whoever built the squad answers for the squad. A point taken off an unbeaten league leader does not erase three matches without a win, or the question the Maradona made heard at the final whistle.

What comes after the break

The calm on Sunday holds only until the next matches. Napoli return on Saturday 21 November at 20:45 CET (19:45 UK, 14:45 ET) at home to Torino. Then comes Manchester City away on Tuesday 24 November, and Sassuolo on Sunday 29 November. That is three matches in nine days in which the response demanded of Allegri has to show on the pitch and in the table.