Naples off to a worrying start to the season

Naples are experiencing a start to the season that falls well short of the standards they have set in previous campaigns. Beaten 1-0 by Arsenal at home in the Champions League on Wednesday, the Italian runners-up have now suffered three consecutive defeats in all competitions.

Things had started well for Massimiliano Allegri’s side with a 2-0 victory away to Genoa on the opening matchday. However, Naples then lost their next two Serie A matches: 2-1 at home against Como, followed by a 3-2 defeat to Inter.

In Milan, the Neapolitans had looked on course for a positive result after taking a 2-0 lead. Inter eventually turned the game around, with Lautaro Martínez scoring the winning goal in the 91st minute.

With one win and two defeats, Naples therefore have just three points after three league matches and sit 12th in the table.

The defeat to Arsenal further compounded their poor run of form. Martin Ødegaard scored the only goal of the game in the 75th minute at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, handing Naples their third straight defeat.

A striking contrast with last season

The comparison with 2025-2026 is particularly telling. At the same stage, Naples had won their first three matches against Sassuolo, Cagliari and Fiorentina. The Azzurri had even won their first four league games, collecting 12 points from a possible 12.

This season, their record is therefore significantly less impressive: three points from nine after three matchdays, compared with nine from nine a year earlier.

The comparison with 2024-2025 is also noteworthy. That was their title-winning campaign, and although Naples lost their opening match away to Verona (3-0), they responded by winning their next three games against Bologna, Parma and Cagliari.

A European campaign in need of a revival

Naples also need to put a disappointing European campaign behind them. The club did not play in European competition in 2024-2025 after finishing only 10th in Serie A in 2023-2024.

Back in the Champions League in 2025-2026, they opened their campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City. Their European run eventually ended in the league phase, with Naples finishing 30th on eight points.

A year earlier, in 2023-2024, Napoli had enjoyed a very different European campaign. They began with a 2-1 victory away to Braga before reaching the round of 16, where they were eventually eliminated by Barcelona.

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Napoli must quickly turn things around

Italian champions in 2024-2025 and runners-up the following season, Naples have therefore started this new campaign already behind the pace they have set in recent years.

Three points after three league matches, three consecutive defeats in all competitions and two home losses: the Azzurri’s start to the season is clearly worrying.

There is, of course, still plenty of time to turn things around. But after defeats against Como, Inter and Arsenal, Massimiliano Allegri must quickly find solutions to revive a team that, so far, is struggling to live up to its status as a contender for the top spots in Italy and Europe.

Nouya M'toama

Editorfr, en

Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.