Napoli slowed Juventus's drive for a sixth straight Italian title by coming from behind to share the spoils in a high-stakes Serie A showdown on Sunday.

The 1 -1 draw on the night Gonzalo Higuain went back to his former club leaves Massimiliano Allegri's squad six points clear of second-placed Roma, the only team with a realistic chance of catching the Turin giants with eight rounds of matches left to play.

It was not a vintage performance from Juve, but with another meeting with Napoli looming in the semifinal of the Italian Cup, and an upcoming Champions League clash with Barcelona to think about, Allegri shrugged that off.

"A great squad also needs to know how to suffer and to be humble. We have to be first in May and then nobody will remember we didn’t play well in Napoli,“ he said.

Napoli are ten points adrift in third - with Lazio hot on their heels in the fight for Italy's third Champions League place.

Coach Maurizio Sani said he felt his side could have taken all three points. "It is a shame we didn't win. We had the chances to. But when a team plays like that, the coach can go home with every type of emotion except disappointment"

With Higuain making his first return to his former club in a Juventus shirt, it was always going to be a highly-charged affair.