Napoli’s draw with Roma has left the season with a familiar but uncomfortable theme: a side once associated with defensive control is paying heavily for moments when matches appear to be in its hands. The 3-3 at the Maradona, after a 2-0 lead, was the fourth time in 11 games across all competitions that Napoli have failed to protect an advantage.
A costly pattern after taking the lead
Napoli have conceded 17 goals in their first 11 matches of the campaign and have allowed 10 points to slip from winning positions. The damage has come in two defeats and two draws, a sequence which has altered the early shape of their Serie A season.
- At San Siro, Napoli turned a 2-0 lead against Inter into a 3-2 defeat.
- They led Fiorentina 1-0 at the Franchi before the match finished 1-1, a result which remains Viola’s most recent league point.
- In Spain, Napoli went ahead 1-0 against Villarreal in the Champions League but lost 3-1.
- Against Roma at the Maradona, a 2-0 advantage became a 3-3 draw.
The figures are particularly striking in the context of Massimiliano Allegri’s record. Across 16 Serie A seasons as a coach, beginning in 2008-09, he had never seen one of his teams concede as many goals over its first 11 fixtures. It had not happened during his spells with Cagliari, Milan or Juventus.
Similar totals, very different early season
There is a statistical parallel with the previous campaign. At the same 11-match stage last season, Napoli had also conceded 17 goals, although that run included the 6-2 defeat away to PSV Eindhoven. Their attacking output has barely changed: 18 goals this term compared with 19 a year earlier.
The decisive difference is in results. Napoli had won seven of those first 11 matches last season; this time they have won four.
The calendar underlines how sharply the league picture has moved. On Saturday 25 October 2025, Napoli had 18 points after eight Serie A rounds and shared first place with Roma. A year later, on Saturday 24 October 2026, they sit ninth, 11 points behind leaders Inter and Lazio and seven behind Roma.
Monza offers an old reference point
Wednesday 28 October brings a midweek trip to Monza, and the date carries a small reminder from the previous season. Napoli were also away from home on 28 October last year, when they faced Lecce and won through an Anguissa goal.
That strike was Anguissa’s last before his goal against Roma. Napoli will hope the coincidence marks the beginning of a more stable run, but the immediate requirement is less romantic: they must stop giving opponents the openings that have undone their work.
Defensive responsibility and Rafa Marin’s rise
The warning signs had been present since the mistakes against Como on the second matchday. Napoli have repeatedly been punished for individual errors, from Frank and Baturina in that match to Rrahmani against Venezia, Politano against Villarreal and Beukema in the Roma collapse.
- Napoli have conceded 17 times in all competitions.
- Four matches have seen them surrender a lead.
- Those reversals have cost them 10 points.
- Greater concentration will be essential at Monza.
Amid the uncertainty, Rafa Marin has emerged as a constructive note in defence. Against Roma, he dealt impressively with the dangerous Malen, continuing a season in which his progress has become increasingly visible. He has looked more assertive, attentive and composed than the player who made his first Napoli start at Monza’s Brianteo on 19 April 2025.
That afternoon came after nine months on the margins and carried considerable pressure. Returning to Monza now, Marin represents a different stage of Napoli’s story: a defender growing into responsibility, at a time when Allegri’s team urgently need the whole unit to recover its old reliability.
