Massimiliano Allegri believes Napoli's upcoming Serie A clash with Roma is "an important game" and is "worth a lot".
Napoli have struggled in the league this season, with a 1-0 defeat to Venezia last time out leaving the Partenopei ninth after seven games.
They have lost three of their first seven Serie A matches this season (W3 D1 L3); the last time they recorded at least three defeats in their opening seven league games was in the 2009-10 campaign (four in that instance).
Roma, meanwhile, have announced themselves as title contenders following a strong start under Gian Piero Gasperini.
They have gained 17 points in Serie A this season (W5 D2), their best start after seven games since 2014-15 (18 points).
Should Roma beat Napoli, they would reach 20 points, their joint third-best tally after eight Serie A matches, behind only 21 points in 2000-01 and 24 in 2013-14.
Although Allegri acknowledged the importance of the match, he insisted it would determine how the final league table pans out.
"It's worth a lot, it's an important game, it's Napoli-Roma," said Allegri.
"Roma have been doing well since last year, they qualified for the Champions League, they're near first place. Gasperini is doing a great job. They're a team that's playing with enthusiasm, good technique.
"So it will be a difficult game, but it would be nice to pick things back up after two wins and a draw before slipping against Venezia, while being aware of the fact that it is an important game, but not our last one, nor will it decide Champions League qualification.
"But, we are in ninth place, and we have to improve in certain areas on the pitch.
"Gasperini's teams make plays because they take you man for man, they create a lot of spaces. These can be beautiful and entertaining games, if you get the result. If not, it's a problem.
"We can talk about having good games, but in the end, as we always say, we make our judgements on results."
Max Allegri previews #NapoliRoma Here’s what our boss had to say: https://t.co/TQAI4Sc2Y3 #ProudToBeNapoli
— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) October 23, 2026
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Napoli – Rasmus Hojlund
Roma are the opponent against whom Hojlund has played the most minutes (223) in Serie A without scoring.
However, they are the only side against whom the Danish forward has provided more than one assist in the competition (two).
Roma – Emanuele Lulli
Emanuele Lulli has made five starts in Serie A this season at 19 years and 61 days old and could make his sixth at 19 years and 68 days.
Among debutants in the three-points-for-a-win era (since 1994-95), only Marquinhos (18 years and 181 days) has surpassed this threshold for Roma at a younger age in the top-flight.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Napoli have drawn 55 Serie A matches against Roma (W50 D53 L55); only against Torino (56) have they recorded more draws in their top-flight history.
Napoli are unbeaten in their last eight Serie A home games against Roma (W4 D4); they have not registered a longer unbeaten run at home against the Giallorossi in the competition since the period between 1971 and 1982, when they went 11 games without defeat (W10 D1).
However, in the three-points-for-a-win era, only Atalanta (eight) have won more Serie A away games against Napoli than Roma (seven, level with Fiorentina, Juventus and Lazio).
Napoli have kept a clean sheet in their last two Serie A home matches; they have not recorded three consecutive clean sheets at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in the league since September-October 2021.
Roma have kept a clean sheet in all three of their away games in Serie A this season; in their Serie A history, the Giallorossi have only managed to keep a clean sheet in their first four away games of a season once before, in 2017-18.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Napoli – 35.4%
Draw – 26.7%
Roma – 37.9%
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