Napoli salvage a point against Lazio as Allegri strikes a defiant tone

After Napoli's 1-1 draw with Serie A leaders Lazio, head coach Massimiliano Allegri stressed that, despite the side's recent poor run of form, they have not lost sight of their objectives and are still fighting on every front.

The visitors took the lead when Davide Frattesi beat goalkeeper Vanja Milinković-Savić with a neat left-footed finish at the near post, leaving Napoli facing the prospect of a second consecutive league defeat.

Napoli responded just three minutes into the second half, drawing level when pressure from Scott McTominay and Rasmus Højlund forced substitute Alfonso Pedraza into an own goal. Later on, the goalkeeper kept out a shot from Kevin De Bruyne and Reda Belahyane cleared the rebound off the line, leaving Napoli to settle for a point.

The result means Napoli have managed just one win in their last five Serie A matches. Allegri admitted they are not where they want to be, but said there was no reason to panic.

"Let's not forget that we are still in the running in Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the Champions League," the experienced head coach said. "Over the course of a season you can go through difficult spells like this. What matters is handling these periods calmly. Even in the middle of a storm, we know how to bring the ship safely into harbour one way or another. When the team wins, the fans think we are wonderful, and when we lose, they think the opposite. The only thing I can say to our supporters is that this team is giving everything it has, mentally and physically."

The draw at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona partly halted Napoli's run of dropped points, and although they sit behind the leaders, Allegri is looking ahead with optimism: "We missed some big chances, but that is football. I trust my players, and with better organisation we will get back on track."

Asked how he was coping with the team's difficult spell, the veteran head coach said: "I'm fine. Fortunately, I haven't gone through periods like this very often in my career. These lads need support, and they are doing the very best they can."

On the Lazio side, whose six-match winning run came to an end, head coach Gennaro Gattuso said he was pleased with the mentality his team had shown. "When I walked into the dressing room, it felt like a funeral in there," Gattuso said. "I liked the fact that the team were upset with this scoreline. I am proud of my players. Coming here and playing at a time like this is never easy, so we should be satisfied with this result."

By finding the net against Napoli, Frattesi reached his 26th Serie A goal, becoming the third Italian midfielder since the 2021-22 season to reach the mark of 25 or more league goals. Gattuso also praised his player, saying: "There are very few players in Europe who make runs into space the way he does."