Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio v Napoli - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - January 28, 2024 Lazio's Alessio Romagnoli in action with Napoli's Juan Jesus REUTERS/Claudia Greco
ROME (Reuters) -Lazio's four-game Serie A winning streak came to an end as they were held to a 0-0 draw by champions Napoli at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday as both teams struggled to create opportunities in a clash between last season's top two sides.
Both teams are underperforming compared to last season, with Lazio sixth in the standings on 34 points, two points behind fourth-placed Atalanta and level with Fiorentina, in fifth, who host Inter Milan later on Sunday.
Napoli's title heroics last year seem a distant memory as they sit ninth with 32 points having won one of their last five league games.
"We are lacking (goals), it's a problem we should solve," Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri told a press conference.
"I'm convinced that when the mental mechanisms unlock, the players will feel lighter. Today we are happy with the performance, even though we hoped to win. It's not two points lost.
"We went into the match tense, still (remembering) the defeat against Inter in Riyadh. And Napoli are similar in terms of dribbling and quality, we were worried in the first half."
Both Lazio and Napoli were involved in the Italian Super Cup with Sarri's side losing 3-0 to Inter Milan in the semi-finals.
Napoli lost the final to Inter on Monday after captain Lautaro Martinez struck in stoppage time to snatch a dramatic 1-0 win.
Both Lazio and Napoli had to make do without some key players on Sunday, with striker Ciro Immobile and midfielder Mattia Zaccagni, both suspended, missing for the hosts.
Napoli were without striker Victor Osimhen -- who is with Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations -- and suspended winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, among other absentees.
Both teams started cautiously and a drab encounter briefly sprung to life when Lazio thought they had taken the lead seconds after the restart with a stunning bicycle kick from forward Valentin Castellanos, an effort ruled out for offside.
With no shots on target from either side in the first hour, Lazio had another decent chance in the 75th minute when Castellanos struck from close range with a back heel but his attempt was blocked by the Napoli defence.
It was only the third time that Napoli have ended a Serie A match without a single shot on target since their return to the top-flight in 2007-08.
Lazio next visit Atalanta on Feb. 4 in a clash for the top four, while Napoli host lowly Hellas Verona earlier that day.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in GdanskEditing by Toby Davis)
