In a match that left fans wanting more, Napoli and Como played out a tense 0-0 draw in Serie A on Saturday—a result that did little to boost either side's ambitions this season.
For Como, the stalemate stings a bit more. They now trail Juventus by two points in the race for the final Champions League spot, and the Old Lady could widen that gap when they host Verona on Sunday. Meanwhile, second-placed Napoli's Serie A title defense is all but over. Leaders Inter Milan sit nine points clear and need just a draw from their remaining four matches to clinch the Scudetto—a feat they can achieve this Sunday against mid-table Parma.
Adding to Napoli's worries, third-placed AC Milan can draw level on 70 points with them this weekend when they visit Sassuolo.
The match started with a jolt of excitement inside the opening 10 minutes. Nico Paz slipped a clever pass to Anastasios Douvikas, who rounded Napoli goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic but saw his goal-bound effort blocked by two desperate defenders scrambling back to the line.
Napoli's Scott McTominay nearly broke the deadlock on 18 minutes with a towering leap from a corner. His header sailed over the bar, but with Como keeper Jean Butez lost in the chaos, an effort on target would have surely found the net.
Como responded quickly. Martin Baturina bent a shot wide just four minutes later, and Milinkovic-Savic was forced to rush out and deny Assane Diao on a swift counter-attack before halftime.
The second half began with Napoli appealing for a penalty after Rasmus Hojlund went down near the byline. The referee judged the contact was manufactured and waved play on.
Baturina then tested Milinkovic-Savic with a deflected effort from inside the box, forcing the keeper into a desperate, wrong-footed claw away from goal. The match seemed destined for a stalemate.
McTominay had the best chance of the second period on 80 minutes, charging onto a lofted through-ball only to steer his finish into the side netting. Five minutes later, Matteo Politano nearly snatched a late winner with a spectacular curling effort from distance that beat Butez but smacked back off the post.
In earlier Serie A action, Udinese climbed to 10th place, but all eyes remain on Sunday's potential title decider as Inter look to seal the league crown.