Napoli held 0-0 at Como, handing Inter Serie A title advantage

Key facts

• Napoli drew 0-0 at Como on May 2, 2026, at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.
• Second-placed Napoli trail leaders Inter Milan by nine points with three rounds left.
• Inter can clinch the Serie A title on Sunday if they beat Parma at San Siro.
• Como remain fifth, two points behind fourth-placed Juventus in Champions League race.
• Scott McTominay missed a late chance for Napoli, drilling wide in the 79th minute.
• Matteo Politano hit the post for Napoli with a left-foot curler in the second half.
• Anastasios Douvikas had a goal-line clearance for Como after rounding the goalkeeper in the 8th minute.
• Napoli and Como had previously drawn 0-0 at Stadio Maradona earlier this season.

Title race all but over for Napoli

Defending champion Napoli was held to a 0-0 draw at Champions League-chasing Como on Saturday, a result that could allow Inter Milan to clinch the Serie A title with three games to spare. Second-place Napoli now trails Inter by nine points. Inter hosts Parma on Sunday and needs only a draw to secure the Scudetto. Napoli coach Antonio Conte acknowledged the difficulty of the match. "It was certainly a good performance, as without that you don't emerge unscathed from a game where both Napoli and Como had a lot at stake," Conte told DAZN. "Como probably had more at stake with Champions League qualification."

Como's Champions League hopes dented

Fifth-place Como missed a chance to close the gap to fourth-placed Juventus, remaining two points adrift. Juventus hosts Hellas Verona on Sunday and can extend its lead. The top four finishers qualify for the Champions League. Como has never qualified for Europe's elite competition. Cesc Fabregas, Como's manager, faced his former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte on the touchline. The two had previously met in February when Como knocked Napoli out of the Coppa Italia on penalties. Saturday's draw was the second goalless stalemate between the sides this season.

Missed chances define the match

The first big chance fell to Como inside the opening 10 minutes. Anastasios Douvikas rounded Napoli goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic but was denied by a goal-line clearance from Amir Rrahmani. Martin Baturina bent a shot wide for Como, and Milinkovic-Savic rushed off his line to deny Assane Diao on a counter. Napoli's best opportunities came late. Scott McTominay sprinted onto a pass from the left in the 79th minute but drilled his finish wide of the near post with only Jean Butez to beat. Minutes later, Matteo Politano tackled Jesus Rodriguez cleanly and launched a counter, curling a left-foot shot from outside the box that smacked against the far post.

Injury and team news

Napoli welcomed back Giovanni Di Lorenzo to the bench for the first time in three months after a knee injury. However, the visitors were without Romelu Lukaku, David Neres, Antonio Vergara, Mathias Olivera, Juan Jesus, and others. Como had only Jayden Addai on the treatment table, with Nico Paz, Mergim Vojvoda, and Sergi Roberto shaking off knocks to be available. Napoli appealed for a penalty early in the second half when Rasmus Hojlund went down near the byline, but the referee adjudged Hojlund had manufactured contact and waved play on. A deflected effort from Baturina required a desperate one-handed save from a wrong-footed Milinkovic-Savic.

Wider implications for Serie A

Inter can mathematically seal its 21st top-flight title with a home win against Parma on Sunday. The Nerazzurri lead Napoli by nine points with three rounds remaining. Third-placed AC Milan can draw level with Napoli on 70 points if they beat Sassuolo on Sunday. Atalanta and Genoa drew 0-0, while Udinese beat Torino 2-0 with goals from Kingsley Ehizibue and Thomas Kristensen. Como's push for a maiden top-four finish now depends on Juventus dropping points in the final stretch, but Fabregas's side has struggled against top-three teams this season, going winless in five such matches.

What comes next

Napoli's title defence is effectively over; they now focus on securing a second consecutive top-four finish. Como faces a crucial run of three matches against teams currently in the bottom half of the table, giving them a chance to close the gap to Juventus. The Lariani have beaten Napoli in their last two home league meetings and avoided defeat in three of four competitive clashes since returning to the top flight two years ago. Conte's future remains uncertain, with speculation that this could be his final campaign in charge. For Como, the dream of Champions League football for the first time in club history hangs in the balance.

The bottom line

• Napoli's 0-0 draw leaves them nine points behind Inter, who can win the title on Sunday.
• Como missed a chance to close within one point of fourth-place Juventus, now trailing by two.
• Both teams had clear chances: Douvikas denied by goal-line clearance, McTominay wide, Politano hitting the post.
• Napoli's injury list included Lukaku, Neres, and Vergara; Di Lorenzo returned to the bench.
• Inter needs only a draw against Parma to clinch the Scudetto with three games to spare.
• Como's Champions League hopes rely on Juventus dropping points in the final three rounds.