Conte: ‘Specialist in victories and defeats’ but Napoli must ‘finish the job’ | OneFootball

Antonio Conte argues that he can be seen as a ‘specialist in victories and defeats’ but urges Napoli to ‘finish the job’ in the last game of the season against Cagliari and win the Serie A title.

Napoli host Cagliari at the Stadio Maradona on Friday. It’s the decisive game in the Scudetto race as the Partenopei lead Inter by just one point at the top of the standings.

“There’s a strong desire to play. We are coming off a very stressful season, and clearly this could be the final match that closes out a season in a new city and a new environment for me,” Conte said at a pre-match press conference as quoted by TuttoNapoli.

“We are responsible for giving Napoli and the fans something beautiful and historic.”

Napoli already won the title under Luciano Spalletti in 2023, but Conte helped the team bounce back after a terrible 2023-24 campaign.

Conte urges Napoli to ‘finish the job’ and win Serie A title

epa12092721 Napoli’s head coach Antonio Conte during the Italian Serie A soccer match SSC Napoli vs CF Genoa at Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, 11 May 2025. EPA-EFE/CESARE ABBATE

If Napoli win the Scudetto tomorrow, Conte will become the first coach to win it with three different clubs. However, the Italian tactician stressed that his career was not only defined by victories.

“I might be a specialist in victories, but also in defeats. My career speaks for itself,” he said.

“If you look at everything I’ve lost: three Champions League Finals, one World Cup Final, one European Championship Final and one UEFA Cup Final. I could list many more. I try to be a specialist in helping the club and the players. I don’t want people to forget that in a career, there are victories and defeats. Those losses have built up a thick skin, sometimes even a harsh one. This is what makes me tough at times.”

Conte will be watching the game from the stands tomorrow, having received a one-match ban after round 37.

“It hurts not to be there,” admitted the Napoli coach.

“After a season like this, you want to be there with your fans to lead the team. I have great trust in my staff, as always, in the fans, and in the environment. Even if I’m watching from the stands, my heart will be there—or rather, two hearts.

“It’s very difficult to get distracted. It only comes when I am eating, at lunch or dinner, maybe not even lunch, just dinner. Or when I am sleeping. It’s inevitable,” he continued.

“It’s been a short week, but full of emotions. We know well that the mind can go anywhere. It’s the most important game of the season. Before, we used to say important, but this one, without a doubt, defines a season. It decides what kind of season we’ve had. Whether it was excellent or exceptional.

“We need to work offensively and defensively together. We know very well that hard work brought us here today. Now, we need to try to finish the job. When we drew against Inter, I said, ‘If we want to, we can.’ Today, the team knows very well that the job needs to be completed.”