Napoli Held 0-0 at Como as Title Defence Effectively Ends

Defending champions Napoli are out of the Serie A title race in all but the most extreme mathematical sense. A 0-0 draw at Como on Saturday afternoon left Antonio Conte's side nine points behind Inter Milan, with the Nerazzurri set to host Parma on Sunday — a match that could end the season's title contest entirely.

The draw at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia was a frustrating watch for Napoli supporters. Como, fifth in the table and chasing Champions League qualification, were the better side for stretches of the first half. Nico Paz and Jacobo Ramón controlled midfield, and Como's xG (1.29) outpaced the visitors' (0.63) over 90 minutes. Napoli appealed for a second-half penalty after Rasmus Højlund went down in the box, but the referee waved it away. Late on, Scott McTominay miscued a clear chance into the side netting and Matteo Politano hit the post from distance.

The result keeps Como in fifth — two points behind fourth-placed Juventus, who host Hellas Verona on Sunday. The top four qualify for the Champions League, so Como's draw was arguably more valuable for them than Napoli's was for the leaders.

For tipsters, this fixture is a textbook example of how late-season "dead rubber" pricing can mislead. Napoli came in as favourites but were playing a side with more to play for, fewer fixture demands and home advantage. Goalless draws are statistically rare in Serie A — only around 7% of matches end 0-0 historically — but they cluster heavily in late-season fixtures where one team's motivation has cooled. If you want to learn how to forecast 1-0 and 0-0 outcomes more reliably, our guide to low-score correct score predictions walks through the indicators that actually predict tight, low-event games.

Napoli still have the season to finish on a respectable note. The title, however, looks gone.