Napoli Slump to Worst Start in 17 Years as Allegri Feels the Heat in Naples
Napoli Plunge to Worst Start in 17 Years Under Allegri
Napoli have made their worst start to a season in 17 years under Massimiliano Allegri, and tensions are reportedly simmering in the dressing room just weeks into the campaign.
According to Tuttosport, Tuesday's 3-1 defeat at Villarreal left Napoli with four losses from their first eight competitive games, alongside three wins and a single draw. Only Roberto Donadoni's side in 2009-10, who lost four of their first seven, have started worse, and Allegri's men are yet to win two games in a row.
The defeat in Spain was about more than the scoreline. It also brought spats on the pitch and visible frustration between teammates, underlining a mood of unrest that is said to be bubbling inside the squad.
Worst Champions League Start in Club History
In Europe, the picture for Napoli is even bleaker. They have made their worst Champions League start in club history, with no points and just one goal to their name.
Their strikers have scored only five of the team's 11 goals in all competitions — a poor return on roughly €200m spent on the attack.
Allegri's own continental record is under scrutiny too. He has lost eight of his last nine Champions League matches, and his last win in the competition came back in October 2022.
The Road Ahead: Bodø/Glimt and Venezia
Tuttosport estimates that Napoli need at least 11 points from their remaining six league-phase games to reach the top 24 of the revamped Champions League format, a run that begins with Bodø/Glimt.
First, though, comes Saturday's trip to bottom side Venezia, where Kevin De Bruyne is expected to start on the bench after playing every minute of the last two games.
New Manager, Familiar Turbulence in Naples
The mounting pressure on Allegri comes after a difficult transition. Napoli's slow start had already been flagged in late September, when the club's opening was described as its worst Serie A start in a decade.
Last month De Bruyne insisted he never attempted to force an exit from Napoli during the summer transfer window, despite speculation linking him with a move away amid earlier suggestions of friction with then-coach Antonio Conte.
There have been glimpses of encouragement since. On 2026-10-11, a De Bruyne brace powered Napoli past Frosinone, with Allegri insisting the Belgian was "even better" in a deeper midfield role. That afternoon trebled De Bruyne's league goal tally for the season, and per a FotMob player snapshot fetched 2026-10-14, he sits on three goals and one assist from six Serie A appearances in 2026-27.
But the turbulence of Naples' early season has returned to the surface. With a daunting Champions League deficit, a misfiring attack and reports of a fractured dressing room, Allegri's men are under pressure to steady the ship — starting at Venezia.