Napoli fans boo Lucca as he comes on in 1-1 draw with Lazio

Lucca was booed as he came on against Lazio, before he had touched the ball. The Maradona also whistled Lang, sang the usual chants against De Laurentiis and, at the final whistle, turned on the team with a cry that sums up the mood: "We deserve more."

The stadium only raised its voice. The draw with the league leaders changed nothing. Pedraza's own goal made it 1-1 after Frattesi scored on 28 minutes. Napoli are tenth with 15 points after 11 games, 14 behind Lazio. That is the lowest tally of the De Laurentiis era at this stage of a season, level with 2007/08. It is three games without a win, after a 2-0 defeat at Juventus in Turin and a 4-1 loss at Porto.

Two different whistles

The two cases are not the same. Lucca has no goals this season and insulted De Bruyne in Porto. The club did not fine him, and his departure in January is described as almost certain. But booing him on his way on means judging him before he plays. It also takes away the little calm a striker without a goal needs.

Lang is different. The equaliser came from his cross, but after the match he tried to skip the salute to the Curvas. Staff sent him back, and he was the first to leave. He brought the final whistles on himself.

Then there is "we deserve more". It is fair to ask what that means in a city that has celebrated two league titles in the last four seasons, in 2022-23 and 2024-25. For us the answer is not in the trophy list. It is in the present. Allegri arrived with a stated aim of finishing fourth. Napoli have lost 7 of 15 games this season. The dressing room is split between the De Bruyne affair and Politano's remark about "us Italians". Demanding more from this squad and this wage bill is legitimate. Losing patience is understandable.

But demanding is one thing and booing a player as he enters the pitch is another. The coach answers for his choices, and those who built the squad answer for the squad. The president answers for a season that began after a second-place finish on 76 points and has ended up here. Protest makes sense when it is aimed at those who decide. Whistling the number 20 as he comes on puts no pressure on Allegri, Manna or De Laurentiis. It only makes the ball a little heavier for the man who has to play it.

The question we take home is an uncomfortable one. How much can a fragile team take if every mistake at the Maradona becomes a trial? And how much can a fanbase take when nobody inside the club has yet properly explained what is happening? There was no press conference before the game, and on matchday the club said nothing.

First comes a 13-day break. Then Torino visit on Saturday 21 November at 20:45 CET (19:45 UK, 14:45 ET). It is the Maradona again, in front of the same crowd.