Napoli face Serie A title elimination at Como as champions lag 10 points behind Inter

Key facts

• Napoli trail Inter Milan by 10 points with four games remaining.
• A defeat at Como would mathematically end Napoli's title defence.
• Napoli have lost nine away games across all competitions this season, their worst record since 2014.
• Como sit 5th with 61 points, three points behind 4th-placed Juventus.
• The reverse fixture in November ended 0-0.
• Como won last season's league clash at Sinigaglia and beat Napoli on penalties in the Coppa Italia quarter-final.
• Scott McTominay scored early in Napoli's 4-0 win over Cremonese on 24 April 2026.
• Cesc Fàbregas has faced Antonio Conte four times, with one win, two draws, and one defeat.

Title defence on the brink

Napoli’s reign as Serie A champions faces its final reckoning on Saturday evening, when Antonio Conte’s side travel to Stadio Sinigaglia to face Como. Ten points adrift of leaders Inter Milan with only four matches left, defeat would formally end their hopes of retaining the Scudetto. The Azzurri have been chasing Inter all spring, but a costly stumble after five consecutive wins allowed the Nerazzurri to pull clear. Inter may clinch the title this weekend, leaving Napoli to focus on securing second place and automatic Champions League qualification.

Conte’s side desperate for response after Lazio loss

Napoli’s long unbeaten Serie A run ended with a 2-0 defeat at home to Lazio at Stadio Maradona. They responded emphatically in their final April fixture, thrashing Cremonese 4-0 with Scott McTominay’s superb early strike followed by three goals in a ten-minute cluster either side of half-time. That victory lifted Napoli two points clear of third-placed AC Milan, but the team’s away form remains a serious concern. Conte’s men have lost nine away games across all competitions this season, their worst such record since 2014.

Como’s top-four hopes hang in the balance

Como, under manager Cesc Fàbregas, sit fifth with 61 points, three points behind fourth-placed Juventus in the race for Champions League football. A 2-0 victory over Genoa on 26 April snapped a four-match winless streak that had threatened to derail their campaign. Champions League qualification is now out of their hands, but a win against Napoli would put pressure on Juventus and keep Roma at bay. Como cannot afford any slip-up at Sinigaglia, where they beat Napoli last season and eliminated them from the Coppa Italia on penalties in the quarter-final.

Tactical battle between former teammates

Saturday’s clash pits two managers who know each other well. Fàbregas and Conte have faced off four times, with the Como boss recording one win, two draws, and one defeat. The reverse fixture in November ended goalless, a result Napoli were fortunate to escape with. Como also won last season’s league meeting at Sinigaglia, and they prevailed on penalties when the teams met in the Coppa Italia in Naples. Those results suggest Fàbregas’s side can trouble the champions, especially given Napoli’s struggles on the road.

Team news and injury concerns

Napoli will be without Giovanni Di Lorenzo (knee) and Romelu Lukaku (muscular problems), while Mergim Vojvoda and Jayden Addai are also sidelined for Como with unknown injury and Achilles tendon rupture respectively. Both sides are expected to field strong lineups. Como’s probable XI includes Jean Butez in goal, a back four of Ivan Smolcic, Diego Carlos, Jacobo Ramón, and Álex Valle, with Máximo Perrone and Lucas da Cunha in midfield. Assane Diao, Maxence Caqueret, Martin Baturina, and Tasos Douvikas lead the attack. Napoli are likely to start Vanja Milinkovic-Savic; Alessandro Buongiorno, Amir Rrahmani, Mathías Olivera; Matteo Politano, Scott McTominay, Stanislav Lobotka, Miguel Gutiérrez; Kevin De Bruyne, Rasmus Højlund, and Alisson Santos.

Stakes and outlook

For Napoli, the immediate priority is to end their title defence with dignity and secure Champions League qualification. Conte will want to achieve that at the first possible opportunity, but a tricky visit to Sinigaglia represents a severe test of his team’s resilience. Como, meanwhile, are fighting for a place at Europe’s top table. A win would lift them level with Juventus and keep the pressure on in a race that could go down to the final day. With both sides needing points for contrasting reasons, Saturday’s encounter promises high tension and tactical intrigue.

The bottom line

• Napoli’s title defence ends with a loss at Como; they trail Inter by 10 points with four games left.
• Napoli have lost nine away games this season, their worst since 2014, raising doubts about their consistency.
• Como are three points behind fourth-placed Juventus and must win to keep Champions League hopes alive.
• Como have beaten Napoli at Sinigaglia in the league and eliminated them from the Coppa Italia this season.
• Both teams have key injuries: Di Lorenzo and Lukaku out for Napoli; Vojvoda and Addai for Como.
• The match is a direct clash between two managers with a history: Fàbregas and Conte have met four times, with Fàbregas winning once.