Napoli, Conte: We’ll give our all, Lukaku needs time | OneFootball

Napoli arrives in Riyadh with a clear objective: to react and turn the page. After two consecutive defeats against Benfica and Udinese, between the Champions League and the league, the Italian Super Cup semifinal against Milan becomes much more than just a game: it is a key moment to regain confidence, balance, and consistency. Antonio Conte knows this well and, on the eve of the match, has chosen a clear yet determined tone.

Napoli, Conte: “We want to give everything, we work with seriousness. Lukaku needs time”

The Azzurri coach rejects the idea of a structural crisis, framing the moment as a physiological phase of the season: “It’s a moment, like many others during the year. We came from five wins, now we’ve lost two games in a row. The important thing is to keep working with seriousness, desire, determination, and enthusiasm.”

Conte insists on a key concept: emotional management. Winning and losing are part of the journey, especially with a schedule that requires playing every three days. “Everything always comes from hard work,” the coach reiterates, pointing the way out of the negative phase.

Lobotka returns to the center of the project

One of the most comforting pieces of news for Napoli is the full recovery of Stanislav Lobotka. The Slovak midfielder has already played some minutes in Udine and is ready to reclaim his role as playmaker: “He played half an hour in Udine, he didn’t have a serious problem. He’s ready to play.”

His return guarantees order and clarity in build-up play, but Conte tempers easy enthusiasm: “It doesn’t change much, he and McTominay remain the only natural central midfielders.” The system of play, therefore, will not be revolutionized and will continue to make the most of the entire squad.

Lukaku, gradual return without rushing

A different story for Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian is back training with the group, but is not yet ready to make an impact on the pitch: “He doesn’t have any minutes in his legs, we need to be patient and wait for him.”

Conte highlights the importance of his presence on a human and charismatic level, but puts physical protection first: “It’s positive to have him with us for his experience and personality, but we’ll need physical tests to understand when he can return without risk of relapse.” No rushing, then: Napoli cannot afford any new setbacks.

Super Cup and the desire for redemption

The Super Cup format is also new for Conte, who appreciates its competitive value: “It’s a great experience for me and for the boys. It’s the first time I’m experiencing it and we want to do it the right way, giving everything and trying to stay in Arabia until Monday.”

The semifinal against Milan is a big occasion, also because of the emotional weight of a trophy at stake and the quality of the opponent.

Milan and the high-level challenge

Conte does not hide his respect for the Rossoneri: “When you face Milan you know you’re up against great players and great coaches. There’s a desire to measure ourselves and to test our level.”

What’s at stake raises the intensity even further: “We’re playing for a trophy and that’s an extra emotional boost. Everyone likes to win, and we always want to go for victory, trying to deserve it on the pitch.”

Napoli abroad and the club’s identity

Finally, a word about the welcome received in Riyadh: “Finding Napoli fans even here is a great feeling. The more the club goes abroad, the more it gets known and expands its audience.”

Conte, however, links the brand’s growth to results: “Fans get closer to teams based on victories. We want to be increasingly attractive from this point of view.”

The message is clear: Napoli arrives “angry”, but above all motivated. Against Milan, a total performance will be needed, made of intensity, concentration, and patience. Because redemption comes from the pitch.

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