After Saturday’s 1-0 victory against Monza, Scott McTominay scored Napoli’s lone goal and tied the team for first place in Serie A with Inter Milan. However, following the game, coach Antonio Conte made heated remarks directed at owner Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Advertisements
Napoli were spared embarrassment following a lacklustre performance in northern Italy as the Scotland midfielder headed in Giacomo Raspadori’s cross in the 72nd minute for his tenth goal of the season in all competitions.
Napoli’s pursuit of a second league title in three seasons was bolstered by McTominay’s third goal in a week, increasing the pressure on reigning champions Inter, who will face high-flying Bologna on Easter Sunday.
With that goal scored, Conte’s squad failed to generate any offense against the poorest team in the division. With five games left to play, Monza is 12 points below safety and looks destined for relegation.
“There is a lot of pressure because, although it seems like it should be an easy match, the prize up for grabs is so important,” Conte remarked.
Advertisements
Many of these young men are competing head-to-head for the first time in a league championship game. Plus, it’s a surprising head-to-head… Being present alone is remarkable and surprising.
Even after raising eyebrows on Friday with open anger over the January sale of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Conte persisted in fueling rumors of his resignation at the conclusion of his first season as Napoli coach.
Conte, clearly upset, responded to De Laurentiis’s later remark that he should have waited until the season ended before making such comments during an interview with network DAZN.
Advertisements
Embrace the here and now. Everyone is ambitious and wants to win. According to Conte, when questioned about his future plans, “we need to see where we are,” but he is open to hearing other options.
Working with fans that touch me on an emotional level makes me happy, and I’m enjoying my time in Naples. That holds great significance. Nevertheless, it is no secret that I always bring high expectations to whatever job I take.
When people employ me, they want me to contend for the championship regardless of my previous performance; they may have placed 10th the year before, but they expect me to finish first or second this time. Just making it to Europe won’t cut it.
“I may be capable of handling everything, but I am not ignorant if the means are not available to make it happen.”
The pitches at Napoli’s Castel Volturno training ground were also criticized by Conte, who claimed they needed to be relaid. The most recent calf injury to David Neres, who replaced Kvaratskhelia, was the one he blamed on the club’s inaction, he said.
It doesn’t matter where Conte ends up next season; he and Napoli are serious contenders for the Scudetto. They have no more obligations after Easter except to play Torino, who is in tenth place in the league. Protecting the eyes from harm via Como
Inter, however, have a jam-packed schedule: on Wednesday, they play AC Milan in the second leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final, and then they face Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final.
Bologna is fighting for a spot in the Champions League, but even if Inter lose, they will still be top of the league thanks to goal differential. If the final point totals are equal, a play-off will determine the champion.
Earlier, Como advanced to safety thanks to two goals from Assane Diao in a 3-0 victory over Lecce. Lecce is currently in a pre-relegation position, one point above the drop zone.
Como have 39 points, good for thirteenth place in their first Serie A season in almost twenty years. They are fifteen points above the relegation zone with five games left to play.
With eight goals since joining from Real Betis in January—during a period when Como made heavy investments in new players to ward off relegation—Diao has played a crucial role in the club’s almost-certain survival.
Juve, currently in fourth place, will be visiting Parma on Monday, but Roma will be looking to close the gap to only two points when they face Verona later on.