Video: Allegri stirs Napoli's anxiety with memories of "the second division"

A new defeat and an early warning

Napoli's slide rolls on. Another Serie A defeat, this time 1-0 away at Venezia in the seventh round on Saturday afternoon, leaves the champions sinking fast.

Massimiliano Allegri's side have lost five of their opening nine matches in all competitions, winning two and drawing one.

It's their worst start since 2001-02. Back then the club were in the Italian second division under Luigi De Canio, picking up two wins and two draws against five defeats from their first nine.

Pressure is piling on Allegri to fix it, and he knows how quickly these things turn. A rough season at Milan ended with the club missing out on the Champions League and the Italian coach out of a job.

Two straight league defeats, three in a row in all competitions, and Napoli are stuck on 10 points. Ninth place, provisionally.

Read also: After 22 matches: Chelsea kill two birds with one stone against Everton