Massimiliano Allegri has named Inter Milan as the team to beat in the Serie A title race, making the admission ahead of his Napoli side's trip to San Siro.

The Napoli manager, who has steered his squad into serious contention this season, was candid in his assessment of the reigning champions — acknowledging that Inter Milan arrive at this stage of the campaign as the benchmark for every club in the division.

The match represents a significant moment for Allegri personally, as he returns to San Siro — a stadium deeply associated with the Italian game's grandest occasions — in charge of a Napoli side with genuine title ambitions of their own.

Inter Milan, backed by one of the most experienced squads in Serie A, have consistently set the pace at the summit of Italian football. Allegri's public respect for their credentials underlines just how fiercely competitive the race for the Scudetto has become.

For Napoli, this fixture is a direct examination of their own title credentials. A result at San Siro would send a clear message to the rest of Serie A that Allegri's side are ready to go the distance.