Conte Salutes Napoli's Fighting Spirit in Victory Over Atalanta

Napoli manager Antonio Conte praised his team's resilience and growth after a 3-2 win over Atalanta, despite facing challenges including the departure of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and injuries.

Napoli manager Antonio Conte was effusive in his praise for his team after they secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Atalanta on Saturday. Conte highlighted the significant growth the team has shown over the past few months, which was evident in their ability to overcome adversity and emerge triumphant.

The win was particularly sweet for Napoli, as it avenged their 3-0 home loss to Atalanta in November. Romelu Lukaku's late header proved to be the decisive goal, boosting Napoli's Scudetto hopes. Conte reflected on the team's progress, saying, “I had already said before the match that this team has grown a lot. Don’t forget that just over two months ago, Atalanta put three goals past us at home.”

Antonio Conte emphasized the team's ability to deal with difficulties as a key aspect of their growth. “I think if we’d had even more time to go through the process, we’d have done even better,” he noted. “The team has above all grown in dealing with difficulties, that is what I want to underline.” Conte's comments suggested that Napoli's resilience and ability to overcome challenges would be crucial in their pursuit of the Scudetto.

Napoli manager Antonio Conte acknowledged the significant challenges his team has faced, particularly with the departure of key player Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris St Germain and the injury sidelining defender Alessandro Buongiorno. Conte praised his team's resilience, saying, “We are facing some situations, both in terms of injuries and most recently the transfer market, situations that would kill a bull, but we are still standing.” He emphasized the team's commitment to hard work, adding, “We don't complain, we keep working and I always say that I have a group of players who are eager to work hard. The improvement of each individual player then allows us to improve collectively too.”

Conte declined to comment on potential replacements for Kvaratskhelia, stating, “I leave the decision to the club. I don’t get into the transfer market.” This response reflected Conte's focus on coaching and developing his current squad rather than getting involved in transfer dealings.

⏹️ Full time: #AtalantaNapoli 2-3

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— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) January 18, 2025

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini took a philosophical approach to his team's defeat, emphasizing the importance of learning from the experience. “I maintain we emerge stronger from games like this,” Gasperini told Sky Sports Italia. He highlighted the team's busy schedule, saying, “We now have the Champions League, then Serie A and the Coppa Italia, we are playing every three days, so we do not have time for regrets over a result that didn’t go our way.” Gasperini expressed satisfaction with his team's performance, adding, “It’s fine, we have to focus on our journey and perhaps today we paid a heavy price, in other games we were luckier, but overall I saw a great performance.”