Conte: Napoli Faces Serious Crises, Yet We're Carving an Exit Path From Within

The core issues Conte cites

Napoli boss Antonio Conte has continued his complaints about the squad's lack of options, and he again asserted that his team is not at the level of Italy's rivals Inter, Milan, and Juventus.

Conte's comments followed Napoli's 2-0 win over Cremonese, during which he spoke to DAZN Italia about the season's challenges.

Conte told DAZN Italia after the Cremonese victory: "We face many problems this season, some of them very serious, but we confront them with courage. I always tell the players: whether we win or lose, they want to keep the badge of the league on their shirts and please the fans."

He added: "We have had a wonderful year, in my view an exceptional and unexpected achievement to win the Serie A title, and then crown it with the Italian Super Cup; beating teams like Milan, Inter, and Bologna in that competition was very special."

Conte continued: "It has been a great year full of achievements, and Napoli's celebrations are unlike any other. We are top now, and we strive to stay close to the leaders in Serie A."

The season’s milestones and the road ahead

The squad shortage forced Conte to switch to a 3-4-2-1 formation, and he said, "If there is no way out, we have to build it ourselves," echoing a line about finding paths where none seem obvious.

He stressed: "We are building our path through hard work and dedication; we face these difficulties. This is the last match of the year, and we again miss several key players."

Conte also spoke about hoped returns in 2026: "All I want is for them to return, and I hope so as soon as possible, although Lukaku and De Bruyne's injuries were very serious, so we cannot rush their return; we must be patient."

After Napoli's Super Cup triumph, Conte said he does not feel ready to be a dominating force in Italian football, asking, why? He replied: "Because we are just starting this journey. Our infrastructure isn't ready, and I feel Juventus, Inter, and Milan have strong structures, depth in the squad, and higher salaries than all other clubs."

He concluded: "When another team outside this group wins a title, it's something truly exceptional. We should not ignore reality and act as if we are on the same level as these clubs. We strive to close the gap as much as possible through hard work and dedication, but we cannot deny the existence of that gap."

It has been a remarkable year, celebrated in Napoli with celebrations that differ from the rest. Conte notes: we celebrated the league title and the Super Cup, and now we are at the top; we aim to stay close to the leading pack in Serie A."

The team has again faced player shortages, pushing Conte to adjust tactics and maintain belief in the squad's capacity to fight through adversity.

Punchline 1: If Napoli's problems were a pizza, they'd be extra toppings—delicious ambition, but the dough still needs more time to rise.

Punchline 2: If tactics were weapons, Conte would be a sniper—steadily aiming at the plan, even when the target keeps moving and the budget keeps shrinking.