Napoli, Conte: "Future? I'm fine in Napoli but whoever takes me must fight to win"

Monza, 19 April 2025 – The winning header from the “usual” Scott McTominay, in the 72nd minute, gives three very important points for the Scudetto race to Napoli who returns to success away from Maradona after 91 days and wins 1-0 at the U-Power Stadium in Monza once again catching up with Inter at the top of the table standings, at 61 points. A flash that unraveled a mess that was becoming increasingly tangled for the Neapolitans, protagonists of a first half that started well with chances for McTominay and Rrahmani but then continued with a ball circulation that was too slow, which kept Monza in the match, capable in the final quarter of an hour of the fraction of coming close to taking the lead with a play from the outside by Castrovilli. In the second half, however, the music changed and the Azzurri raised the volume of their game, bringing more men into the opponent's half and preparing the ground for the lead that Politano had already come close to taking in the 68th minute, when he didn't direct the ball well when he was one-on-one with Turati. However, another 4 minutes were enough to pull the play out of the hat that was worth the three points and drawing level with Inter. He praises the team for the work done and for their tenacity in the head-to-head for the Scudetto with Inter, mister Antonio Conte in the post-match interview with DAZN: “We had prepared a game plan that called for us to play with a double play right from the start to take control of the game. However, we were not able to fill the area right away. We created some chances, but we had to fill the area better. In the second half, however, we changed some situations with the entrances of Anguissa first and then Raspadori. These are games that on paper are easy, but there is a lot of pressure, which you can feel. I feel what there is towards the boys. Many of them are experiencing a head-to-head championship for the first time, which is unexpected because being there is truly extraordinary for everything we are doing. Honor to these boys, it is their merit. I am happy that we continue to cause trouble”.

The Azzurri coach then returned to the words he said before the match, reiterating that he is very happy in the Neapolitan city but without definitively untying the knots linked to his future: “I have integrated very well in Naples and I live very well there.. My family is really happy here and has integrated perfectly. The food is very good and it's always sunny. The Neapolitan fans make you feel part of it. You have to live in the present, knowing full well that there are all these favorable situations. The people, however, want to win, they have ambition. There is great openness on my part, then we have to see what the reality will be. We will continue to move forward. In Naples, I repeat, I feel good and the square gives me emotions. You know very well, however, that whoever takes me also takes the expectations that I carry with me. Whoever takes Conte says either you arrive first or you arrive second even if you arrive tenth. It is not enough to fight for Europe. Ambitions and all the rest are growing. I can act as a guarantor but I am not stupid if there are no means necessary to do all this”.

Finally, a dig also regarding the'Neres' injury: "During the last training session, he felt a problem with his soleus. Several have happened in this last period. I don't know if it depends on the training fields that should be redone but they remain the same as before. We take note of it, we keep quiet and we continue to work but if the fields were redone we would be happier".