Reigning Serie A Champions, Napoli would be sacking current coach Rudi Garcia after they were beaten at home by Empoli, sitting in the bottom three.
Empoli had won just two games from their opening 11 before they visited Naples.
Sunday’s meeting with relegation candidates Empoli at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona presented an opportunity for Napoli to go into the international break in third place.
But Empoli’s substitute, Viktor Kovalenko crushed that dream with his stoppage-time winner.
The man of the match for the relegation candidates was Etrit Berisha who made superb saves on different occasions. He made a total of seven saves.
He went Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s close-range effort over the bar. He also denied Matteo Politano and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in the first half.
The one time Napoli did get past the 34-year-old, Giovanni Simeone’s goal was disallowed for offside.
Napoli had gone five games unbeaten heading into this fixture, but the club could see that something was not working out.
Napoli: Gollini 7, Di Lorenzo 6, Rrahmani 6, Ostigard 6, Olivera 5, Anguissa 6, Lobotka 5, Politano 6, Raspadori 5, Elmas 5, Simeone 5. Subs: Kvaratskhelia 6, Cajuste 5, Lindstrom 6, Zielinski 6, Rui n/a.
Empoli: Berisha 9, Bereszynski 6, Ismajli 7, Luperto 7, Cacace 6, Fazzini 6, Ranocchia 7, Maleh 6, Cambiaghi 7, Caputo 6, Cancellieri 6. Subs: Ebuehi 6, Grassi 6, Gyasi 6, Kovalenko 9, Maldini n/a.
