Napoli continues to run and remain in the upper echelons of the table. After the 2-0 win over Cremonese, Antonio Conte captures the Azzurri's current form with clarity and pride, without hiding the difficulties but reaffirming the solidity of the path they have undertaken.
"In the league, we're currently stuck at the top of the table, despite several challenges we're facing as courageous men," the coach emphasized to DAZN. "Ultimately, you can win or lose, but these guys are fighting to make the fans proud. We're carving our own path."
Absences weigh heavily, but they don't become excuses. "Even today, among others, we were missing Meret, Anguissa, and Gilmour," Conte recalls. "I hope they can return very soon." The discussion then expands to the league's structural dimension. "Napoli's journey has just begun, and structurally, we're not yet ready to lead," he admits. "For me, Inter, Milan, and Juventus are ahead of the rest in terms of financial value, structure, and wage bill. Every time someone other than these three wins, they do something extraordinary."
The year's results, however, remain more than positive. "We're celebrating the end of a wonderful year, during which we achieved something beautiful and extraordinary, crowned by winning the Super Cup," Conte emphasized. "When you win, Napoli fans allow you to celebrate in a different way than other clubs."
Finally, Hojlund, still a key player, makes his mark. "He's a very young player with a lot of room for improvement," the Italian coach concludes. "He's becoming dominant in that position, learning how to handle the ball."
A tough, hard-fought victory, earned through character rather than skill. Antonio Conte savoured Napoli's victory at Marassi, but he didn't soften his analysis in front of the cameras. "I think it's a courageous victory, but we did everything we could. Genoa's goals were two of our own mistakes, and it wasn't easy to bounce back, but we did it," he said immediately after the match, emphasizing how the match was complicated primarily by internal responsibilities.
The Italian coach, however, highlighted the mental strength of the team, capable of reacting even in the most difficult moments. "Even with ten men against eleven, we never stopped attacking, and in fact, the final penalty came that won us the match. This team never gives up; every week there's a new challenge." These words describe a team under pressure, yet still alive and determined.
Win again to maintain their European run. Napoli prepares for the trip to Marassi with a clear objective: to follow up on their victory against Fiorentina and consolidate their position at the top of the table. Maintaining a solid position in the top four is an absolute priority, both sportingly and financially, and Antonio Conte wants no letup against a Genoa side that has historically proven difficult at home.
The good news for the coach comes from the defense, where Amir Rrahmani returns. The Kosovar center-back has overcome a gluteal injury and will return to the starting eleven. It remains to be seen whether he will be deployed in the center or as the right-back in a three-man defense, a solution that would open up Buongiorno's central position ahead of Meret and Juan Jesus on the left-center position. This is a significant return to a defense that will have to do without captain Di Lorenzo, who is sidelined: the defender took advantage of his time out for foot surgery related to a knee problem.
The victory against Fiorentina isn't enough to ease the tension at Napoli. Antonio Conte appears before the microphones with a drawn face and words that weigh like boulders, a mixture of bitter irony and suppressed anger. The focus isn't on the team's performance, but on the transfer market situation and the delicate moment the group is experiencing.
"I see that other teams are making significant preparations for the transfer market. They've actually blocked ours: I think that's fantastic." The coach uses a clear sarcasm, leaving little room for interpretation. Then he doubles down, bringing up the club's finances: "We're the only club with €240 million in cash and a profit, and they're preventing us from making any transfers. They really are number one."
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (2)
It's true that Napoli has good potential, but there are many challenges to overcome to reach the top. Every match is important, and we must remain focused to avoid dropping points.
Napoli is doing a good job, but there are always challenges to overcome. Conte is right in saying that absences shouldn't become an excuse. The team must keep fighting.