Napoli are just lacking luck – Sarri

Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri believes his side are lacking a “bit of luck” after missing the chance to leapfrog Juventus atop the Serie A table. 

Sarri’s side were held to a 1-1 draw at home to AC Milan after Giacomo Bonaventura cancelled out Lorenzo Insigne’s opener. 

Napoli could have moved one point above Juventus in the table after the reigning champions were held at Bologna, but had to settle for second. 

The stalemate with Milan means Napoli are now winless in three games – their worst run since the start of the season – but Sarri believes they are just lacking luck. 

“What were we missing in these three matches? A bit of luck,” he told Mediaset Premium.

“Our game against Juventus was completely different, as there were very few chances for either side. 

“Tonight both teams created opportunities, there are regrets that we ended the first half on level terms, because Milan barely got the ball.

“Their equaliser was also clearly affected by an earlier foul on Elseid Hysaj. We got irritable, hit the upright and tried everything with a 4-2-4 that could’ve been very risky, but this was a night where we had to take a few risks.

“I’m sorry that we didn’t win for the fans, as they were spectacular tonight. We tried everything. I saw movement off the ball and more chances created, so it was an improvement in terms of performance.”

Gonzalo Higuain failed to score in consecutive games for the first time in Serie A this season, but Sarri is not worried.

“I think this is normal,” he said. “A player cannot be at 100 per cent for 10 months. It’s physiologically impossible. Lately we had left the centre-forward a bit too isolated, so we decided to put more crosses in from the wings.

“We were facing Milan, not some provincial side, so forcing them to play the entire game in defence was good. We had eight chances to one, yet it ended 1-1.

“We’re not very lucky at the moment, but if the team continues to play like this then the results have to come.”