Napoli's title defense continues to falter. After being held by Hellas Verona and salvaging a point against Inter, the Partenopei were frustrated again in midweek, drawing 0-0 with Parma despite dominating possession and creating chances. Conte, suspended and watching from the stands, saw his side fail to convert opportunities-a recurring theme in recent weeks. That result allowed Inter to extend their lead, leaving Napoli vulnerable to pressure from below.
Talking about the match, [it was] two strong teams who did everything to win. There's disappointment for having taken the lead twice, but it's not easy against a strong team. Credit must be given to our opponents, who did everything to equalise and then also to win. I take home the attitude and the desire to always go forward, perhaps sometimes overdoing it.
Napoli dominated the ball early on and saw Eljif Elmas' near-post attempt smothered by visiting captain Lorenzo Montipo, but by the 27th minute, the champions were 2-0 down. Martin Frese met Cheikh Niasse's centre with an inventive backheel to put Verona ahead in the 16th minute, then Gift Orban - who had been heavily involved in the opening goal - stroked home from the penalty spot after Alessandro Buongiorno was penalised for handball.
Whilst the calendar looks quite scary for AC Milan this month, it could certainly be worse, and the Rossoneri are in a pretty solid position. A lot can be said about the upcoming fixtures which Milan face. Five games in 18 days certainly has the possibility of being challenging, and it may well be. However, they are not alone in having a tough run of games.
