Milan – At the 2024 AIC Football Grand Gala, hosted at the Spazio Antologico – East End Studios, Antonio Conte enjoyed the award for best coach of the 2024-25 Serie A season, but his focus is already on the present: a tough, competitive championship in which Napoli aims to remain a key player.
"It's a very competitive championship," Conte said. "There are so many strong teams, and after 13 games, it's difficult to draw a ranking. We're all there, within a handful of points. The goal is to defend the Scudetto as best we can, even knowing it will be very difficult, because we're up against well-equipped and ambitious opponents. But we want to give it our all."
The Italian coach then commented on his decision to take a week off after the Bologna match, thanks to the international break: "In England, it's a habit: they impose seven days of rest and the staff supervises training. When you also play in cup competitions, you build up tension, pressure, and a lot of energy. It's important to take a break."
The Grand Gala Night: Napoli and Inter Milan Take Center Stage
The fourteenth edition of the AIC Gran Galà del Calcio brought together over 400 guests for an event that annually celebrates the best of the Italian football season. Organized by the Italian Footballers' Association, in collaboration with Demetrio Albertini's DA agency, and produced by Wonder Project, the event saw Napoli and Inter dominate the stage.
Alongside Conte's award, the season's Top 11 was revealed, perfectly capturing the technical dominance of the two teams that came to compete for the Scudetto: Inter dominated at the back and in attack, Napoli dominated the midfield and individual awards.
The most prestigious award, that of best overall player, went to Scott McTominay, the lynchpin of the Azzurri midfield and one of the main architects of Napoli's fourth title.
ALL THE AWARDS OF THE 2024 AIC GRAND GALA
Top 11 of the 2023-24 season
Goalkeeper: Mile Svilar (Roma)
Right back: Denzel Dumfries (Inter)
Left back: Federico Dimarco (Inter)
Central defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Amir Rrahmani (Napoli)
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Scott McTominay (Napoli), Tijjani Reijnders (Milan)
Forwards: Lautaro Martinez (Inter), Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Mateo Retegui (Atalanta)
Individual awards
Best overall player: Scott McTominay (Napoli)
Best Coach: Antonio Conte (Napoli)
Best club: SSC Napoli
Best Referee: Daniele Doveri
Young Serie B: Nicolò Bertola (Spezia)
Legend Award: Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini
Coldiretti "The Right Field" Award: Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter)
Vote for the Goal: Alessandro Deiola (Cagliari)gliari).
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