Napoli and Conte: grit returns, strength and tiger’s eye restored | OneFootball

Antonio Conte has returned to being the most authentic and recognizable face of Napoli. After a season start with a few too many slips, the coach from Salento has gotten the team back on track, restoring intensity, identity, and that fierce character that has always distinguished him.

Napoli, Conte, grit and rebirth: Napoli regains its muscles and the eyes of the tiger

As Vincenzo D’Angelo writes in the Gazzetta dello Sport, “Conte has returned to show the muscles and the eyes of the tiger,” responding to those who thought he was in trouble. Napoli has regained its compactness and fighting spirit precisely in the two most delicate challenges: the one against Inter, prepared with the tactical invention of Neres as a false nine, and the subsequent victory in Lecce, where Conte returned as the charismatic leader directing every movement from the bench, shouting, correcting, and motivating until the last second.

Tactics and character: the dual face of Conte's Napoli

Against Inter, Conte demonstrated his strategic ability: he shifted the balance, confusing the defensive references of the Nerazzurri and freeing up valuable spaces for the offensive maneuver. In Lecce, however, he returned as the fiery coach, the one who lives the match as a battle to be won inch by inch.

The team has also regained balance in defense, where the return of the Rrahmani–Buongiorno duo will provide further solidity to a department that had suffered. The impression now is that Napoli is ready to relaunch its race towards the top of Serie A, with the awareness that beating the Azzurri will require performances of the highest level.

Conte after the victory: “The face is relaxed, but I don’t forget”

In the post-match in Lecce, Antonio Conte showed an apparent calm, but behind his smile still lies the memory of recent controversies. The Gazzetta dello Sport highlights how the coach does not forget Inter's complaints after the last big match, nor the criticism received from those who, until recently, considered his Napoli “too favored” thanks to the arrival of Kevin De Bruyne.

“The face is only apparently more relaxed compared to Saturday,” writes the newspaper. “Conte has stepped down from the ring, but he doesn’t forget.”

The coach commented with irony on the latest controversies: “It’s unfortunate about Kevin’s injury. I remember all those headlines talking about an unreachable Napoli after his arrival. Now someone dares to say that his stop could be an advantage for us… fantastic, I give up. Lukaku has disappeared from the radar, and there are those who think that an injury of ours could favor us. Whoever said that deserves an Oscar.”

Between ambition and pride: Conte sets the course

Antonio Conte remains true to his style: direct, proud, with the mentality of a leader who does not admit compromises. Napoli, which has long loved and feared him for his intensity, today recognizes him as the man of rebirth, capable of transmitting hunger and determination.

The coach is not satisfied but raises the stakes: his goal is to return the champion mentality to the Azzurri. And he does so with the same energy as always, with those “eyes of the tiger” that, once again, ignite the passion of the Maradona.

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