Crisis-Club Napoli Held By Genoa Ahead Of Barcelona Visit

Napoli's crisis deepened on Saturday after being held to a 1-1 home draw by Genoa, another heavy blow for the ailing Serie A champions ahead of the midweek visit of Barcelona. Cyril Ngonge saved a home point for Napoli in the final minute after Morten Frendrup had given Genoa the lead with a powerful first-time finish just after half-time. Napoli ran away with the league title last season but are now 27 points behind current leaders Inter Milan in ninth spot meaning their chances of a place in next season's revamped Champions League are increasingly slim.

Six points separate Napoli from fourth-placed Atalanta and that gap could easily be extended to nine as they host struggling Sassuolo on Saturday night.

"We play well in patches and then other times we're incapable of capitalising on the chances we create," said captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

"We have these great fans backing us and it's up to us to get them onside again."

Ngonge's low finish meant Napoli avoided a ninth defeat in all competitions since Walter Mazzarri took over from sacked Rudi Garcia in November, but being booed off the pitch was awful preparation for their Champions League last 16 tie with Barca.

Neither Napoli nor Barca are having stellar seasons but it would have been impossible to imagine how far Napoli would fall so soon after last season's historic third league title.

Victor Osimhen should be back for Wednesday's first leg in Naples after sitting out Saturday's defeat and he will be charged with finding goals for a team struggling to score.

But Napoli's goal problems run deeper than Osimhen being at the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria and they created very little against Genoa who are 12th.

Until Ngonge levelled it was Mateo Retegui who had the best opportunities of the game, forcing excellent saves from Alex Meret with two well directed headers in the first half.

"I'm very satisfied with how the boys played, they gave everything and were really good," said Genoa coach Alberto Gilardino.

"Even when we had the ball we created good situations like the one for our goal, and we looked to get that second one."

Later on Saturday second-placed Juventus travel to Verona trying to cut the 10-point gap separating them from Inter.

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