Kicking off 10 points adrift of former side Inter Milan, Antonio Conte’s focus was now firmly on a second-placed finish amidst uncertainty over his future.
However, the visitors were on the back foot for much of the first half, as Como carved out several presentable chances. Nico Paz was pulling the strings in midfield and slipped through Anastasios Douvikas, who rounded Vanja Milinkovic-Savic but couldn’t direct his shot past Amir Rrahmani on the goalline.
Assane Diao was the next player to be set through on goal by Paz, yet Milinkovic-Savic was alert to smother the low strike, keeping the contest goalless heading into the break.
Only AS Roma (nine) have kept more clean sheets than the Lariani’s eight, and with 45 minutes to play, that record looked likely to be equalled based on Napoli’s rather tame first-half attacking play.
The opening quarter-hour of the second period did little to convince otherwise, and the visitors had Milinkovic-Savic to thank for adjusting well to keep out Martin Baturina’s improvised deflected effort.
A rare chance for the Partenopei presented itself in the closing stages when Scott McTominay controlled well as he ran in behind, but he couldn’t guide his near-post strike on target.
That chance seemed to finally spark Napoli into life as Matteo Politano curled onto the post five minutes from time, but that was ultimately as close as either side came to finding a winner in a largely underwhelming affair.
Yet to defeat a top-three side in the league this season (D3, L3), Como nonetheless sit just five points behind those sides, and more importantly, within two points of Juventus and a UEFA Champions League spot, albeit having played an extra game.
Meanwhile, the Partenopei have managed only 12 points from a possible 30 in the 10 away games against sides starting the round in the top 13 (D3, L6), underlining why they have failed to keep pace with champions-elect Inter.