Conte: Napoli Deserved Victory, But Should Have Scored More

Napoli manager Antonio Conte praised his team's resilience after a hard-fought 1-0 victory, but expressed frustration at not scoring more goals.

Napoli secured a well-deserved 2-1 victory over Fiorentina on Sunday, and manager Antonio Conte was pleased with how his team managed the game, particularly after conceding a goal shortly after taking a 2-0 lead. Conte acknowledged that his side needs to improve their ruthlessness in attack.

Conte's Napoli reduced the gap with league leaders Inter Milan to just one point, following Inter's 3-2 win over Monza on Saturday. Napoli's victory never seemed in doubt, and Conte was satisfied with his team's performance. “I am very satisfied with the performance and the response of the team,” Conte told reporters.

Conte recognized that his team's dominant display, particularly in the first half, could have yielded more goals. Romelu Lukaku scored from a rebound, but Napoli squandered several other opportunities. Conte emphasized the importance of managing anxiety after conceding a goal. “In a growth path, it is normal that after creating so much for 60-65 minutes and getting to 2-0, conceding a goal can generate excessive anxiety.”

Conte praised his team's ability to manage the game effectively after conceding. “You have to be good at managing it, cooling the moment and keeping the ball more, continuing to do things in the right way without conceding dangerous situations. The boys did well, I'm happy.”

Antonio Conte expressed his satisfaction with Napoli's 1-0 victory, but also acknowledged that his team should have scored more goals given the chances they created. “We didn't take big risks and the victory is deserved for what we created,” Conte said. “We scored less than we produced and this does not satisfy me, because in certain games you dominate the opponent and you cannot go to halftime only at 1-0. It only takes one episode and you can lose points.”

⏹️ Full time: #NapoliFiorentina 2-1 💙

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— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) March 9, 2025

Conte also praised his team's resilience in the face of adversity, as they continue to battle for the league title despite several setbacks. Napoli sold star winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in January and are currently without injured players Andre Anguissa and David Neres. “The team passes off as normal that which is not, I must underline that,” Conte said. “Injured players are missing, it's normal, our best player leaves, it's normal.”

Conte commended his players for finding alternative solutions to overcome their challenges, but also cautioned against external interference in his tactics. “The guys are doing a great job in finding alternative solutions, next time have confidence and let me do things without saying to play with 4-3-3 or anything else,” Conte said. “It's easy to win the bet when you place it after the event.”