Napoli’s Frustrations Continue with Yet Another Uninspiring Draw at Lazio

Napoli, under Walter Mazzarri, faced a frustrating deadlock against Lazio. They now sit ninth in Serie A, a massive 21 points behind leaders Juventus. The team failed to muster any shots on target during their lackluster performance at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Missing Firepower

The absence of key striker Victor Osimhen, on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, and suspensions sidelining Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Giovanni Simeone severely hampered Napoli’s attack. This marked the first time since 2012 that Napoli failed to trouble the opposition goalkeeper in a league fixture.

Managerial Perspective

Mazzarri, despite the disappointment, expressed contentment with his team’s effort. He praised the resilience of his players, many of whom had limited recent match experience, for their determination on the pitch.

Lazio’s Challenge

Lazio, dealing with the aftermath of recent racial incidents involving Roma’s Romelu Lukaku, occupied a closed-off section of the stadium. Maurizio Sarri’s side struggled to create meaningful scoring opportunities, missing the attacking threat of suspended Italian internationals Ciro Immobile and Mattia Zaccagni.

Verona’s Escape

In other matches, Verona managed to climb out of the relegation zone with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Frosinone, securing 16th place in the standings. Their superior goal difference over Udinese and Cagliari proved decisive as they narrowly avoided relegation.

Inter’s Quest

Later, Inter Milan aimed to reclaim the top spot from Juventus as they faced Fiorentina in Florence. Fiorentina, meanwhile, sought to leapfrog Atalanta for fourth place in the league standings.