Pressure mounting on Allegri after Juventus defeat as three key issues arise

NAPLES, ITALY - OCTOBER 24: Massimiliano Allegri SSC Napoli head coach during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and AS Roma at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on October 24, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Pressure is beginning to mount on Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri after losing on his return to Juventus on Sunday evening, which has left the Partenopei with just 14 points after their first 10 league matches of the 2026-27 season. 

Juventus defeat mounts pressure on Napoli and Allegri

Napoli were beaten 2-0 by Juventus at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday evening after well-taken goals from Kerim Alajbegovic and Jeremie Boga. This leaves Napoli with four wins, two draws and four defeats from their first 10 league games of the season, which is enough for an eight-place ranking as things stand. 

The Partenopei have also lost two of their first three matches in the Champions League this season, leaving Allegri with more defeats (six) than victories (five) across his first 13 competitive Napoli fixtures. 

Three key issues are emerging in Allegri’s Napoli side, the most important of all being their lack of results. Whilst there has been the occasional sign of encouragement, such as a 3-0 victory over Frosinone and a 4-3 Champions League win over Bodo/Glimt, Napoli have failed to win any of their ‘big’ tests so far this season, losing against Como, Inter, Arsenal and Juventus while also being held at home against Roma. 

There are also concerns regarding Napoli’s performance and their lack of identity under Allegri. Somewhat surprisingly, this Napoli side have occasionally shown signs of attacking quality, but have lacked defensive solidity, which is the opposite of what the head coach is best known for. 

And then there is the issue with the squad itself: Napoli had an incredibly quiet summer transfer window, and TMW suggests that this is a squad that looks like it is coming to the end of a cycle rather than one at the beginning of a new journey under a relatively recently appointed head coach. 

If there is one encouraging precedent for Allegri to cling onto in these testing times at Napoli, it is that he has once started a Serie A season worse than in 2026-27, back in 2015-16, when he and his Juventus side had picked up just 12 points after 10 matches leaving them in 12th place, before going on to win the Scudetto by the end of the season. 

That said, the current Napoli squad is not quite on the same level as the 2015-16 Juventus side, which was in the middle of winning nine consecutive league titles.