Napoli’s Struggles Continue, See Odds to Win Scudetto Fall to +2000

• Uproar grips club during dismal four-game winless streak
• Players clash with owner in outbreak of mutiny
• Fans turn on team and coach Ancelotti as they slip to seventh in the table, while remaining third-favorites in odds to win Serie A

Napoli are in turmoil and their hopes of winning Italy’s Serie A appear to have disappeared amid a bitter outbreak of unrest and conflict involving the owner, the coach, the players and the supporters.

After finishing second last season, hopes were high that manager Carlo Ancelotti could take the next step and lead the team to their first Scudetto title since 1990.

Italy Serie A Odds

Odds taken Nov. 12. 

But they have slumped to seventh place after a run of four games without a win while fury erupts all around following a row between the squad and the owner.

Pre-Season Hopes Collapse

Diego Maradona’s one-time club were priced as short as +510 for the championship in August before the season commenced. They were at +550 in October.

Now they have widened to a huge +2000 – fancied only third behind unbeaten leaders Juventus and Inter Milan.

They are already 13 points behind Juventus only 12 fixtures into the campaign. There will be no title win now.

With Juventus priced at -275 for the title, there is more value in taking a chance on Inter to break their stranglehold at +275.

Ronaldo's angry reaction to being substituted has been supported by a Juventus team-mate 👊 pic.twitter.com/u5HDURRal6

— GOAL (@goal) November 12, 2019

Napoli’s 0-0 stalemate against Genoa last Saturday followed draws against SPAL and Atalanta and a 2-1 defeat at Roma.

The Milan club’s coach Antonio Conte is a proven title winner – having lifted the prize three times in charge of Juventus between 2011 and 2014 and also having won the English Premier League while boss of Chelsea in 2016-17.

Napoli’s 0-0 stalemate against Genoa last Saturday (November 9) followed draws against SPAL and Atalanta and a 2-1 defeat at Roma during the run of four league games without a victory.

It is the longest sequence without a win in more than four years and it has left the side five points off the top four Champions League qualification places.

In a turbulent period in Italian soccer, there have also been some troubles at Juventus and Inter. But by contrast, Napoli’s problems are off the scale.

Training Camp Order Sparks Fury

The eruption at Napoli began after owner Aurelio De Laurentiis ordered the squad into an enforced stay-over training camp as results slumped recently.

He acted after the 1-1 draw with Red Bull Salzburg last week.

Such camps are known in Italy as a “retiro” – a retreat.

Romelu Lukaku is only the second player to score 9 goals in his opening 11 Inter Milan matches.

The other?

Ronaldo. pic.twitter.com/uxNRmzPbBE

— Football Factly (@FootballFactly) November 5, 2019

The players were angered by the order and staged a mutiny when they refused to report for the camp.

Fans have staged angry protests at the training ground chanting that the players are “mercenaries” and demanding the resignation of veteran coach Ancelotti.

The volatile De Laurentiis has subsequently threatened to sell the entire squad.

Meanwhile, fans have staged angry protests at the training ground chanting that the players are “mercenaries” and demanding the resignation of veteran coach Ancelotti.

Juventus have won Serie A in each of the past eight seasons and lead the way again under new coach Maurizio Sarri.

They had 32 points after 12 games following 10 wins and two draws.

Inter are second with 31 points after 10 wins, one draw and one defeat.

Then there is a gap to third-placed Lazio with 24 points after seven wins, three draws and two defeats.

Second Place Last Season

Hopes were high that Ancelotti would bring the good times back to Napoli after he secured second place last May in his first season in charge.

#Napoli players are reportedly hiring bodyguards and living in fear of 'revenge attacks' from their own fans after Allan and Piotr Zielinski were victims of crime https://t.co/z19tRKDQWg #SerieA #UCL #Calcio pic.twitter.com/UE76b2CxKI

— Football Italia (@footballitalia) November 12, 2019

But they have only 19 points in seventh place even though the team won five of its eight opening Serie A fixtures this season before the current down-turn.

Napoli have won the Serie A title only twice in 1986-87 and 1989-90 during superstar Maradona’s volatile seven years at the club between 1984-1991.

Juventus were hit by problems last weekend when their own superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, stormed out of the stadium before the end of the defeat by AC Milan last weekend after being substituted.

#Napoli, #DeLaurentiis could sell five stars in January in order to rebuild the squad https://t.co/eM9WyleuLm pic.twitter.com/7dajMtfXqx

— CalcioMercato (En) (@CmdotCom_En) November 11, 2019

Inter have been hit by ferocious complaints from coach Conte that his squad is not strong enough, although the team responded with a 2-1 defeat of Hellas Verona last weekend.

Napoli have won the Serie A title only twice in 1986-87 and 1989-90 during superstar Maradona’s volatile seven years at the club between 1984-1991.

Pick: Inter Milan to win with Juventus included (+275)