Napoli: Conte in Rome without Politano, Neres-Lang-Hojlund lead line | OneFootball

Antonio Conte's Napoli arrives at the Olimpico for tomorrow night's clash against Roma (kick-off at 20:45) buoyed by two consecutive victories after the November break: a 3-1 win over Atalanta and a 2-0 victory against Qarabag, a far from simple opponent in this highly balanced Champions League.

Napoli, Conte in Rome without Politano: third consecutive exclusion, confirmed the Neres-Lang-Hojlund trio

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Conte seems inclined to field the same eleven that has played in recent weeks. This choice would mean the third consecutive exclusion of Matteo Politano, one of the loyal players of the Salento coach. In his place, there will again be room for David Neres and Noa Lang, positioned behind Rasmus Hojlund in the 3-4-2-1 formation that has become central to the coach's choices.

The new identity of Napoli

Napoli has regrouped after the tensions following the Bologna match. Conte has found a more solid team, thanks to the renewed defensive setup with Beukema, Rrahmani, and Buongiorno, and with the flanks entrusted to Di Lorenzo and Olivera, full-backs capable of providing both drive and coverage.

The real turning point, however, has come up front: Neres and Lang, finally decisive, are offering a quality offensive contribution, with greater freedom to take on opponents, dribble, and create superiority.

The 3-4-2-1 – initially adopted out of necessity – has proven to be a system capable of enhancing the offensive wingers while also providing more balance to a team that needed a tactical reference point.

Emergency becomes opportunity

As Rosea recalls, Conte is a coach who excels in the most complex moments:

“Antonio always finds a new and often winning key in the most extreme situations. He thrives on difficulties, to go beyond his own limits – and also take the team there.”

Thus, the emergency is no longer just a hindrance but can transform into a technical and mental lever. The match against Roma does not decide the championship, but it can change the perception of the forces on the field and give a different weight to the standings.

The big question: Politano out again?

As of today, the choice seems to narrow down to Lang or Politano, but Gazzetta also suggests a bolder hypothesis: what if Conte decides to field them all together?

A "full fantasy" version of Napoli, with Neres–Lang–Politano all on the field at the same time, would open up new tactical scenarios but would inevitably require perfect balance in the non-possession phase.

Tomorrow night at the Olimpico, it will become clear whether Conte will choose continuity or decide to surprise once again.

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