Napoli, Conte: Football is tough, injuries chaotic, team responds | OneFootball

A satisfied yet always clear-headed and realistic Antonio Conte comments to SportMediaset about the 2-0 victory over Milan that propels Napoli into the Supercoppa final. The coach from Salento takes pride in the Italian Champions and analyzes the challenges of a season marked by injuries.

Conte starts by clarifying the presence of the Azzurri in Riyadh: “The guys showed they wanted to play a serious game. We wanted to defend the championship we wear on our chest: we weren't here by invitation, but because we earned it by winning last year.”

Napoli, Conte: “Lobotka and McTominay are vital, Elmas plays everywhere. Lukaku? We’re waiting for him”

The analysis then shifts to the physical aspect and energy management: “When you play every three days with few players, it's inevitable to have lapses, as happened with Benfica or in the second half against Udinese. Our football is demanding, not speculative, and always requires great energy. Tonight we regained vigor and it showed: when we play as a team, we are competitive regardless of who plays.”

The coach does not hide the management difficulties: “I didn’t expect, after five months, this chaos of serious injuries to important players. We only have two midfielders in their natural positions, the return of Lobotka alongside McTominay is crucial. Elmas? The only thing left is to put him in goal, as he has played everywhere else. But it’s the spirit that counts: Politano, Juan Jesus, Spinazzola played an important game.”

Regarding the return of the Belgian and coexisting with an in-form Hojlund, Conte is open to a double striker setup: “First of all, we are trying to recover Romelu: he has international experience and a significant presence in the locker room. Having him with us enhances the group. I hope to have many matches to rotate them or play them together, as I did with Lucca in the past.”

Closing remarks are dedicated to the next opponent, which will emerge from the match between Bologna and Inter: “They are two very strong teams. We wanted to be here and we are. Now we recover our energy and wait: may the best team win.”

Andrea Alati

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