Garcia on the brink at floundering Napoli, Rome derby stalemate
Rudi Garcia is on the verge of being sacked by Napoli after the Italian champions fell to a shock 1-0 home defeat to Empoli on Sunday, while Lazio and Roma played out a derby stalemate.
Napoli were booed off after Viktor Kovalenko's superb last-minute strike snatched the win for Empoli, leaving the hosts eight points behind leaders Juventus and looking over their shoulder.
No-one from the club spoke to the media after yet another poor display on home turf from fourth-placed Napoli, who have not won a fixture in Naples since the end of September.
The Gazzetta Dello Sport and Naples-based daily Il Mattino both report that Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has already decided to sack Garcia and that the Frenchman will not take training on Wednesday.
De Laurentiis has also called a summit in Rome on Monday to decide on his successor, with Igor Tudor and Fabio Cannavaro among the names cited.
Napoli will be 10 points from the summit after just 12 matches if in-form Inter Milan beat Frosinone at the San Siro in Sunday's late match and they have a fiendish run of games after the international break against Atalanta, Real Madrid, Inter and Juventus.
- Garcia in trouble -
Garcia took over from title-winning coach Luciano Spalletti in the summer but his days already look numbered after a poor performance against Empoli who lifted themselves out of the relegation zone.
The 59-year-old won Ligue 1 with Lille in 2011 but his stock has fallen dramatically since being sacked by Roma in early 2016.
He was fired from Al Nassr in April after the Saudi Arabian club signed Cristiano Ronaldo.
Napoli's home record is the 15th best in the league while on the road where they are unbeaten in all competitions and have won six from eight fixtures.
Three defeats in six league home matches is already more than last season's total but didn't lead to them losing their place in Italy's top four.
Atalanta missed their chance to take fourth from Napoli but avoided defeat as Ederson snatched a 1-1 draw at Udinese in stoppage time, leaving Gian Piero Gasperini's side just a point back in fifth.
Sixth-placed Fiorentina trail Atalanta on goal difference thanks to a 2-1 home win over Bologna, who sit seventh after falling to their second defeat of an impressive campaign so far.
- Dismal derby -
Lazio and Roma meanwhile played out a goalless draw in a Rome derby which was full of needle between fans, players and coaches.
Roma would have drawn level on 20 points with Atalanta and Fiorentina if they had won the first derby of the season but offered little at the Stadio Olimpico.
Jose Mourinho's team move up one place to seventh, ahead of Bologna on goal difference, while Lazio stay a point behind their local rivals in 10th.
Nominal hosts Lazio came closest to scoring in the more open first half, Luis Alberto smacking the post in the 25th minute, and three minutes later Roma 'keeper Rui Patricio had to be at his best to keep out Alessio Romagnoli's header.
After the restart the two teams seemed more interested in avoiding defeat and getting in each other's faces than trying for a win.
F.Stewart--EWJ
Featured