Lele Oriali, Antonio Conte's longtime assistant and currently working alongside the Napoli coach, reviewed the Neapolitan team's surprising season to Radio Crc. With words of praise and caution, Oriali acknowledged the coach's merit for the results achieved so far.
"Credit must be given to the coach: Conte is the star of our group. Of course, the players and the atmosphere also matter, but we must keep our feet on the ground. Our initial goal wasn't to win the league. Sure, we're happy to be up there, but the real goal is to qualify for the top four and secure a Champions League spot, which is also crucial from a financial standpoint." Oriali declared.
The former 1982 world champion then added that Napoli's current position at the top of the table is also a consequence of some shortcomings on the part of the other big teams: "At this point in the season we're there because some teams are missing." Among the most fearsome opponents, Oriali particularly praised theAtalanta and Inter: "The team that has impressed me the most is Atalanta, along with Inter. They have much more than all the others, including us: a squad that has been consolidated for years and two almost complete squads. I consider them the real favorites for the Scudetto. We are outsiders, along with other teams. The league has been atypical so far, with a very tight top-seeded position. They're missing the points of Milan and Juventus, but they'll definitely get back to the top. It will be a fight to the finish, and we hope we can all smile together."
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Oriali also talked about the beginning of his collaboration with Antonio Conte, which began during his experience in the national team: We met when he was chosen as Italy's national coach. Gigi Riva was about to step down as team manager, and President Tavecchio asked me to consider him. Before accepting, I asked the manager to give the okay. I had lived at Inter and he at Juventus, but we met right away in Milan at a restaurant. Within five minutes, we understood each other instantly. We were both hard workers, with similar roles, and since then we've been in sync.
The harmony between the two continued over time, leading them to share successes at Inter too: "We did well together there too. Our relationship is built on trust and mutual respect." Despite Napoli's good results, Oriali calls for caution: "It's an uncertain championship, with many variables. We must continue to work with humility and determination. We hope that, in the end, we can celebrate a memorable season together with the fans."
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