Napoli lead for distance covered, intensity and consistency | OneFootball

The Azzurri occupy first place in one of the most telling rankings on the physical level: the one concerning kilometers covered. This is a statistic that overturns the widespread perceptions of recent weeks regarding injuries and the athletic condition of the team.

Napoli dominates the ranking of distances covered: Conte’s team leads for intensity and consistency

In the same days when president Aurelio De Laurentiis strongly criticized national team commitments, stating that “things can’t go on like this,” a new element emerges that changes the perspective: Napoli’s preparation is not in question at all. In fact, it reveals an athletic endurance superior to that of any other team in the league.

A record average: nearly 120 km per match

According to data from Lega Serie A, Napoli is the team that covers the most kilometers overall: 119.67 km per game. No one does better. The group led by Conte surpasses Juventus, second with 118.54 km, and also distances the surprising Cremonese, who completes the podium.

These numbers go far beyond simple statistics: they describe a team that imposes a constant intensity on the match, regardless of the number of absences and forced rotations.

The athletic snapshot of the Azzurri is clear: Di Lorenzo and his teammates never drop below 115 km, with impressive peaks such as the 127 km recorded in the match against Torino or the 120 km reached against Lecce, Pisa, and Cagliari.

The paradox of condition: injuries do not stem from athletic work

Napoli has had to deal with sixteen injuries since the start of the season, a sequence that has involved almost all the starters: from Meret to Hojlund, including Anguissa, De Bruyne, and Politano. From this, the theory arose that the problem was in physical management. But the Lega’s numbers say exactly the opposite.

If the preparation were inadequate, Napoli could not maintain game rhythms higher than the entire league. Instead, the team runs more than anyone else both without the ball and with the ball at their feet, where they occupy second place overall with 15.7 km per game, just behind Juventus.

This is objective proof that the preparation model adopted by Conte not only holds up, but enhances the team’s overall performance.

Comparisons and differences: who runs, who manages

The analysis becomes even more interesting when compared with the performance of those ahead in the standings. Roma, the league leaders, for example, average 111.75 km, almost eight less than Napoli, while still maintaining an athletic brilliance that puts them at the top of Serie A.

The difference, therefore, does not concern the quality of the running, but the ability to manage energy—an aspect that distinguishes Conte’s model from De Rossi’s. Similarly, Gasperini’s Atalanta, historically one of the teams that pushes the most, reached its maximum with 118 km against Inter, still remaining below Napoli’s structural levels.

The least demanding match for the Giallorossi, against Verona, was won authoritatively. Napoli, on the other hand, maintains very high standards regardless of the result: the seasonal minimum, 115 km, was recorded on the first day against Sassuolo and in the defeat against Milan.

High average age, performance of a young team

Another significant element concerns the average age: Napoli, at 28.2 years, fields one of the most experienced teams in Serie A, second only to Lazio. Despite this, they work at the pace of a much younger group, demonstrating that Conte’s physical approach is not simply intense, but calibrated and sustainable.

Despite the “curse” of injuries, Napoli remains competitive

Since Lukaku’s injury on August 14, an unfavorable sequence of muscular and traumatic stops has conditioned the season. Yet, despite a reduced squad and athletic performance at a European level, Napoli is still fully in the running for the Scudetto.

Conte has denounced a climate of pessimism, but the standings tell another truth: the Azzurri are only two points from the top, supported by a physical condition that remains one of the team’s most evident strengths.

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