Views: 25

Napoli’s coach, Antonio Conte, spoke at a press conference to present the opening match of the Italian Champions against Sassuolo.

Everything is ready for the debut of Napoli with Antonio Conte, after a very eventful summer the Italian Champions are ready to defend the title and in this regard, the Salento coach spoke at a press conference to discuss the general condition of his men.

ANTONIO CONTE PERPLESSO GUARDA IN ALTO ( FOTO DI SALVATORE FORNELLI )

Napoli, Conte’s words

Following are the words of the blue coach:

About Lukaku’s injury
“It is an important injury for a player who had a specific weight, he had it last year in the Scudetto, but we know very well that during the year these situations can happen. Something important also happened last year, not only injuries, but it can also happen in the market, something that seems to make everything fall apart, but these guys showed last year to cope with everything, what we have to do, not to dwell on recriminations, to find excuses, what we have to do is to find the solution. We did it last year in every difficulty, we never cried, but found solutions, they know it and I haven’t even talked to the guys about the injury. It’s part of the game, like the market, we try to work so that what we have can shine as much as possible”.

Repeating the championship victory
“Honestly, this group doesn’t need to repeat situations we have worked so hard on and will continue to work on, this is a serious, responsible group that wants to work day after day, to improve, there is no need to say anything, what I emphasized is a historical fact. It has never happened to Napoli to repeat after the Scudetto and when we started as favorites after the Scudetto with Osimhen, Kvara, Zielinski, having lost only Kim and also making a market of 100 million, we finished tenth. It must be well imposed in everyone’s mind, even in the environment because everyone wins, everyone celebrates, in the eventuality everyone loses. It will be difficult, a difficult championship, according to me with many well-equipped teams and we will have to do our best, also giving a chance to many because having won last year we have opened new horizons to many teams, not just the usual ones”.

About the 4 midfielders
“It is inevitable, we have to work to find solutions, we know very well that the 4-3-3 is in the team’s abilities, we have also made targeted acquisitions for the 4-3-3, but we have shown like last year other paths to take, a coach must be good at taking them, without distorting the characteristics and trying to play the best players, but always finding solutions and today after Romelu‘s injury we also consider a third option because now we have only one forward and we must also think about playing without that forward”.

About the market
“I don’t talk about the market”.

About the starting lineup
“There is no doubt, but always a decision to be made because I have two good goalkeepers, I don’t forget even Nikita Contini who is an excellent third and if necessary he would also be ready. I have two good goalkeepers, a good atmosphere has been created, there is great serenity and I will make game-by-game evaluations based on the characteristics, I trust them and they are available, we tried to raise the level of competition, we needed it. Now we have to work, keep quiet, talk less and do our best. Have I already chosen for tomorrow? Do you think I have chosen or not… am I waiting for the last second? (laughs, editor’s note) Everyone knows everything, those who need to know know (laughs, editor’s note)”.

Satisfied with the squad
“It is not up to me to talk and give judgments, give numbers about the squad, there are experts, professionals who are much better, they do that. I have never given evaluations to the squad and I will never do so. With what is made available to me, we must try to do our best, we have always reasoned like this and last year we achieved something extraordinary”.

On refereeing controversies
“Controversies not of Napoli, I raised the issue during the year, in the eighth-ninth game, I also had feedback from the refereeing class that they were not nonsense, I welcome everything that comes and can provide transparency, honesty and serenity, anything that improves the decision is welcome to me. The fewer shadows there are, the better for everyone, even for the referee who has a very hard job, it is inevitable that by going more to the monitor and having to explain the decision to everyone there will be a great responsibility and we will accept it. Something that last year… there was someone who disappeared”.

Without Lukaku
“We lose an important player, period, then favored or not favored we are Napoli and we have the Scudetto on the shirt and by definition you are among the favorites even if you lose all the players, you always have that and it ranks you by definition among the favorites. But as I said, that’s not enough, even among the favorites then the following year disasters were made as I said, and it must be a warning. Everyone wins, everyone loses”.

McTominay-De Bruyne coexistence
“It’s all to be defined, to be tested, today we come from a month of work and it becomes difficult to give judgments, I am not for words, but for facts and therefore speaking just to do it makes no sense. There is then the field that must speak for us, for everyone, any question that comes to your mind… we need to wait for the real matches and then evaluate”.

Suffering
“Did he suffer last year? Then two years ago we died… Last year we won doing a lot of things, then if for you winning the Scudetto is suffering then I raise my hands and retire. It is right to underline some situations. The environment, as I said before, we win and lose everyone, we cannot separate, the environment cannot be with us if we win or against us if we do not win, it is too easy, the true Neapolitan fan is always with the team. Pressures have always been talked about, but we knew how to cope, we won, doing something incredible, now it’s a new season and everyone can think what they want, I say we need to talk little in all settings, I have been taught like this! I am not a talker, I am for the essence that says head down and pedal otherwise we do as two years ago when in the accused area only the team and the president ended up, but when we win we all go and when we lose we split? Let’s form a united environment in good and bad luck, let’s put positive pressure and not negative! It has already happened! We need unity, let’s help the guys who have won 2 championships in 3 years and it will remain in history, indelible, those who forget it can go kiss the boys’ sticker”.

About the favorites
“We are favorites, last time we finished tenth. The first answer. Then let’s talk about two great players, today we are all focusing on words, but there will be facts, the field will have to speak. Whether there are intrigues or not, we have to play. Allegri? A great coach is back, Max’s story speaks for itself, there is no need to say anything else, it is a difficult championship, it will be balanced, there are many returns, even Sarri, Gasperini who moved to Roma who in the second part has already scored more points than everyone, the return of Pioli who won with Milan, let’s arm ourselves because there will be a fight”.