Napoli, only applause for Conte and the team

Let's start at the end. From the lap of the pitch with the team, the applause from Maradona, the photo under the Curva, and the emotion visible on Antonio Conte 's face . Napoli bid farewell to their coach at the end of an intense season, which ended with second place and the knowledge that they had fought to the end despite enormous difficulties.

The Italian crowd gave the Salento coach a standing ovation. A bond built over two years at the highest level: a Scudetto, an Italian Super Cup, and now a runner-up finish in the Italian Championship. These numbers once again confirm Conte's extraordinary consistency, a coach accustomed to always being at the top: first or second, without ever falling below that.

Yet this season also leaves room for regret. The numerous injuries have weighed on Napoli 's season , and against Udinese the emergency resurfaced promptly: Allison Santos was out after just eight minutes, forced to retire with a muscle strain, and Lobotka also went down in the 35th minute.

Hojlund decides: Udinese defeated 1-0

On the pitch, however, Napoli finished with a smile. At the Diego Armando Maradona stadium, the Azzurri beat Udinese 1-0 thanks to Hojlund's twelfth goal of the season, the decisive one in the 24th minute.

The match opened with a high tempo and constant changes of pace, despite the intense heat. Allison Santos' injury forced Conte to bring on De Bruyne after just ten minutes: the Belgian immediately changed the face of the attack, and it was his intuition that gave Napoli the lead. A perfect through ball led to Hojlund, who beat Okoye to make it 1-0.

Shortly thereafter, another blow fell to the Azzurri with the injury of Lobotka, forced to leave the pitch with a muscle strain. Despite this, Napoli managed to control the match until halftime.

Kabasele sent off and Napoli close to doubling their lead

In the second half, Udinese attempted to respond, and coach Runjaic increased the team's attacking presence by bringing on Buksa. However, the match changed completely in the 65th minute when Kabasele hit Hojlund from a distance. After a VAR warning, referee Zanotti showed the player a straight red card.

With the extra man, Napoli found space and came close to doubling their lead several times. Hojlund created another sensational opportunity, escaping the Friuli defense and finding McTominay, but the Scotsman, from a good position, fired over.

At the end, there was also room for the entrance of the third goalkeeper Contini, greeted by the applause of the crowd in place of Meret.

A season of pride and regrets

The final whistle consigns the rest to the fans' memories. Napoli bids farewell to Conte with sincere affection, definitively erasing the initial mistrust linked to his Juventus past. What remains is the pride in the results achieved and the regret for what might have been without the long series of injuries that plagued the Azzurri throughout the season.