Napoli meet Fiorentina again in Coppa Italia last 16

Napoli already know the date of their first game in this season's Coppa Italia. The round of 16 tie against Fiorentina falls on Wednesday 16 December.

Fiorentina head coach Vanoli called Napoli a "scudetto side" after the final whistle. Politano, on the Napoli side, admitted the team is missing the killer instinct in front of goal.

"We're missing the killer instinct in front of goal" — Politano

In December the two sides meet again, this time in a single-leg knockout.

The precedent that lingers

For Allegri, the Coppa Italia is not a competition to be sacrificed. Last season, with Antonio Conte in charge, Napoli's run in the tournament ended in the quarter-finals against Como: 1-1 after 90 minutes, then a penalty shootout lost 6-7.

That exit came in a season that still finished with Napoli second in Serie A and the Italian Super Cup in the cabinet. But it remains an uncomfortable precedent in the very competition Napoli are about to restart.

December is shaping up to be packed regardless. Besides the last-16 tie on the 16th, the league calendar brings two big matches against Milan and Atalanta, both kicking off at 20:45 CET.

Squad problems remain in the background. As of late September, Napoli are still without Anguissa, sidelined with an adductor injury, Badiashile, who has played just 10 minutes all season, and McTominay, still working alone in training after heart surgery on 9 September.

There's a long stretch of season to get through first. Serie A resumes with Frosinone at the Maradona on 10 October, before the Champions League brings Villarreal and Bodo Glimt. The round of 16 against Fiorentina is still a distant date on the calendar — but it's already there, a reminder that the competition that ended on penalties against Como last year has to be honoured well before December arrives.