Antonio Conte, Napoli’s head coach, provided a comprehensive assessment of his squad’s injury situation. He addressed the elephant in every press conference – the speculation surrounding his status with the team moving forward. With the Serie A season approaching its close, Conte is keen to focus on what’s left of those last three matches. They started with a difficult date with Genoa on the horizon.
Conte acknowledged the pressure is very real as Napoli, on 31 points, sits three ahead of Inter Milan. The players need to block out the noise and focus on their performance, not everything else around them.
Injury Update and Mental Focus
At the press conference, Conte shared the encouraging news that player David Neres has gone back to partial training. And for our friend Neres, he was very optimistic that they’ll have Neres in their roster and take him on the bench.
“It all depends and starts from the head,” said Conte. “Then what the fans ask of us, the heart, ours cannot be doubted, and then there are the legs which must be trained. But what moves everything is the head.”
In addition to the effects of time and space, Conte emphasized the need to work with pressure. And during this pivotal time, American businesses should expect to feel pressure applied. Yet, he thinks that’s an important factor that should inspire the team in a good way.
“Regardless, there will be pressure; we have to be good at directing it in a positive manner, as long as it is a help to remain concentrated, have desire and motivation,” he added.
Addressing Future Speculation
Daily national newspaper and radio speculation abounds on Conte’s future at Napoli. When pressed if that meant fans were asking what he was doing next season, he answered. In no uncertain terms he made clear that the fanbase wants him to look more in the moment and at what’s happening on the field.
“Trust me, the fans in this moment don’t ask me this question,” Conte remarked. “The fans, apart from thanking me, they ask if we will win. And I answer that we will certainly try, as we are doing. This is their only question.”
He further responded to inquiries about his future with a quote from renowned Italian singer Franco Califano:
“Everything else is boredom.”
Focus on Upcoming Matches
As Napoli gears up for their match against Genoa, Conte noted that they would kick off knowing Inter’s result against Torino. Whether they go first or go later, Schaefer wanted to make clear that won’t change their approach to the strategy.
Conte is hoping the last two games of the season will be inexplicably scheduled at the same time. We believe that this arrangement will plunge every crew into a similarly hard, cutthroat atmosphere.
He doubled down on the goal of keeping Napoli grounded. All they can control is their game plan, and they need to play their game without the outside noise getting in their heads.
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