Napoli are reeling ahead of Sunday's clash with fierce rivals Juventus after more European disappointment left the Serie A title holders on the brink of being eliminated from the Champions League.
Trailing leaders Inter Milan by six points ahead of their trip to Turin, Napoli have to pick themselves up after a poor 1-1 draw at 10-man FC Copenhagen.
Scott McTominay's goal, which came shortly after Thomas Delaney was sent off for Copenhagen towards the end of the first half, looked to have sent Napoli on the way to a key win for their hopes of securing a play-off berth.
Instead Napoli were pegged back and as a result dropped into the elimination places with one match remaining, a horrible result for both Napoli and Italy's dwindling reputation on the continental stage.
"We should have won that game, it's unacceptable," McTominay told Sky.
"We should have scored the second and third goals to close out the game... It's really disappointing that we didn't."
Standing in the way of a Champions League play-off spot are Chelsea, Napoli's opponents after what is always an emotionally heightened fixture with a Juve team heading in the right direction under Luciano Spalletti.
"We have to look at the mistakes and try to improve. Chelsea are an excellent team," said McTominay.
"We have to try and give everything to improve in the Champions League as well. We have to be at our best."
Napoli could well begin Sunday's match nine points behind Inter who will look to shake off their sobering 3-1 defeat against Premier League leaders Arsenal with the simpler task of taking on Pisa.
Antonio Conte's side will have their work cut out against fifth-placed Juve, who have started to resemble a true Spalletti team in recent weeks and unlike Napoli secured a Champions League play-off spot by beating Benfica.
Spalletti also has significantly fewer injury problems than Conte who has had a rotating cast of stars on the treatment table.
Starting centre-back Amir Rrahmani and winger Matteo Politano have both joined a list of key players out of action which already included Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and Andre-Frank Anguissa.
Last weekend's undeserved loss at Cagliari aside, Juve have been tighter at the back and more flamboyant going forward with Kenan Yildiz continuing to develop under Spalletti.
Juve are three points away from the last Champions League positions currently held by Roma, who have a chance to pull themselves back into the Scudetto discussion with the visit of second-placed AC Milan.
Roma are seven points behind Inter but a win at Stadio Olimpico in Sunday's late fixture would put Gian Piero Gasperini's team just one behind Milan and help keep Juve at bay.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Paulo Dybala
Dybala's future in Rome has been in question after the Argentina international's difficult first season under Gasperini, which has been marked by familiar injury problems and the rise of countryman Matias Soule.
But the 32-year-old looked back to his best in last weekend's convincing win at Torino with a goal and assist for new boy Donyell Malen, with whom he clearly had an on-pitch understanding.
Assuming he is not injured in Thursday's Europa League showdown with Stuttgart, Dybala will start on Sunday as Gasperini has repeatedly said there is no other player like him in the squad.
KEY STATS
25 - The number of points Inter have collected in their last nine fixtures.
20 - Milan's undefeated run, which started after defeat to Cremonese on the opening day of the season
FIXTURES
Friday
Inter Milan v Pisa (21:45)
Saturday
Como v Torino (16:00), Fiorentina v Cagliari (19:00), Lecce v Lazio (21:45)
Sunday
Sassuolo v Cremonese (13:30), Atalanta v Parma, Genoa v Bologna (16:00), Juventus v Napoli (19:00), Roma v AC Milan (21:45)
Monday
Verona v Udinese (21:45)