Serie A: Napoli’s European hopes dimmed by 1-0 loss to Empoli

Napoli’s hopes of playing European football next season suffered a setback as it endured a frustrating 1-0 defeat at lowly Empoli that left it eighth in Serie A on Saturday.

Empoli, which is battling relegation, opened the scoring after four minutes when striker Alberto Cerri headed in a close-range cross for what proved to be the winner.

Serie A is set to secure at least five spots in an expanded Champions League competition next season but Napoli has taken only five points from its last five league matches.

Napoli stays on 49 points, three points off Lazio in sixth, six points behind AS Roma, in fifth with two games in hand, and 10 adrift of fourth-placed Bologna, which visits Roma on Monday.

Empoli is 15th with 31 points, four points clear of the drop zone.

“Clearly, Napoli had notorious problems this season. I honestly did not expect to find the situation like this,” the Naples club’s coach Francesco Calzona told DAZN.

“Playing every three days, we managed to hide some of the issues, but this team has got to do more, we owe it to the city, to the club that pays our wages.”

Calzona acknowledged the challenge of securing European competition for next season in light of the lacklustre results.

“Clearly, if we don’t win games and even lose them, it is difficult to think about reaching this target,” he said.

“We must try in every way to honour the jersey, to give more and above all to start stronger.”

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EMPOLI DOMINANT

Empoli dominated much of the first half after Cerri’s goal and came close to doubling its lead when Nicolo Cambiaghi hit the post just before the break.

In the second period, Napoli pushed forward trying to find an equaliser but failed to create any clear openings as Empoli’s defence dug in.

Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia came close just past the hour mark when he tricked his way past several defenders to create an opening but his shot went over the bar.

After the match, Calzona apologised to the travelling fans and took responsibility for the result.

“The approach to the game was ferocious from Empoli, whereas we were sluggish from the start,” he said.

“We were timid and this is inconceivable, but the responsibility has to be mine because evidently I was not able to express to them my desire to go as far as possible.

“We apologise to the fans for this bad end to the season.”