Napoli’s defence shaky: nine goals in eight games, Conte seeks balance | OneFootball

Conte's team remains at the top of the standings and in the race for the championship, but last year's defensive solidity seems lost. Now Napoli wins by scoring, no longer by locking down.

Napoli, the defense is no longer a wall: nine goals conceded in eight games, Conte seeks the lost balance

Antonio Conte's Napoli has changed its skin. After eight Serie A matches and two Champions League commitments, the numbers tell an unprecedented reality: nine goals conceded in eight matches. The team that last season boasted the best defense in Europe, capable of securing its goal with almost absolute solidity, today appears more vulnerable.

Only in the first two league games — against Sassuolo and Cagliari — did the Azzurri keep a clean sheet. Since then, they have always conceded at least one goal, including European matches against Manchester City and Sporting Lisbon.

Conte and the summer mini-revolution

According to Corriere della Sera (by Monica Scozzafava), Napoli's defensive difficulties are the result of the summer mini-revolution desired by Conte himself. The Salento coach, in an attempt to make the team more unpredictable and offensive, has modified automatisms and roles that last year guaranteed compactness and balance.

"The problem is improvable," the coach reportedly confided, aware that the new setup involves inevitable risks. Six consecutive matches with at least one goal conceded, however, represent a warning sign: the defensive phase, always Conte's trademark, is no longer the group's strength.

A different Napoli: spectacular, but more fragile

Napoli 2025/26 is a team that produces a lot up front: with 14 goals scored, it is among the best attacks in the league. However, the tactical identity has changed. No longer the "short muzzle" and result management typical of Conte, but a more vertical, proactive, sometimes unbalanced game.

The coach himself has described this second year as "a complex journey," recognizing the need to find a balance between offensive intensity and defensive compactness. The goal remains the championship, even if the path to achieving it seems more tortuous compared to the first winning cycle.

Between ambition and adaptation: the new Azzurri project

Napoli, first in the standings, still confirms the quality of the overall work. Conte has restored enthusiasm, dynamism, and competitive spirit, but now he must address the issue closest to his heart: defensive stability. Without a return to the solidity of better times, the tricolor dream could become complicated, despite the excellent offensive potential.

The season is long, and as Opta data highlights, Napoli remains among the favorites for the title. But to transform spectacularity into continuity, only one thing will be needed: to rediscover the iron defense that, a year ago, made them invincible.

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