Conte: depleted Napoli shine despite endless injury woes | OneFootball

Napoli is going through the most critical phase of the season in terms of injuries, yet they continue to win. A seemingly apparent paradox, because behind the series of positive results is the recognizable hand of Antonio Conte, capable of transforming a squad decimated by absences into a team that remains competitive and intense.

Conte, endless emergency and extraordinary performance: the decimated Napoli keeps running

If you add up the names of the currently unavailable midfielders, the picture is impressive: De Bruyne, Anguissa, Lobotka, Gilmour. Four players of international caliber, capable of forming one of the most complete midfields in Europe.

Under normal conditions, it would be a top-tier lineup: physical power, tactical intelligence, technical quality, ability to play vertically. Losing all of them at once means being forced to redesign the heart of the team.

With these players, Napoli is one thing; without them, it is inevitably another. Yet Conte has found the way.

The turning point of recent weeks: five significant victories

In the midst of an emergency, Napoli has strung together a series that says more than a thousand statements:

three consecutive league victories against Atalanta, Roma, and Juventus, three high-profile opponents;

a win in the Champions League;

advancing in the Italian Cup decided by penalties.

A performance worthy of a great team, achieved at the peak of difficulty, which reinforces the value of the coach's work and the depth of the squad built by the club.

Lobotka out and the insight on Elmas: Conte's hallmark

The match against Juventus became the emotional turning point of the winning cycle. Just when Lobotka, the last beacon of an already minimal midfield, also fell, Conte redefined the setup.

He chose Elmas alongside McTominay, in what seemed like an obligatory solution, but which immediately took the form of an insight. Conte transformed him into a sort of midfield playmaker, capable of setting the pace and occupying spaces consistently.

It is in these situations that the value of the coach emerges: reading the contexts, adapting the players, extracting the maximum from each player. A constant in the career of the Salento coach.

The criticisms, the complaints, and the result: Conte's paradox

In recent weeks, Conte has not hidden his discontent, paraphrased and summarized in these terms:

“Too many injuries, too much pressure, even too many signings.”

The coach has been able to alternate requests, tensions, and admissions of difficulty. A trait that in Naples is summarized in a well-known phrase: “Cry and win.”

Conte's attitude is not accidental. It is part of his method: raising the bar, calling the team to responsibility, taking on external pressure to free the players. And the results, once again, confirm his effectiveness.

Conclusion: a Napoli stronger than absences

Despite the skyscraper of talent sidelined, Napoli continues its run. Conte has found solutions, transformed players, and maintained competitiveness even in extreme situations.

The cycle of victories achieved in full emergency now represents one of the most solid signals of the season: despite the difficulties, Napoli is still alive, competitive, and led by a coach who has managed to turn the crisis into fuel.

And the feeling is that, with the return of the starters, the team could become even more dangerous.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.