Napoli Coach Antonio Conte Urges Caution Despite Title Boost

Napoli coach Antonio Conte reacts to his team's 2-1 win over AC Milan, which has revitalized their Serie A title hopes.

Napoli coach Antonio Conte was ecstatic after his team's 2-1 victory over AC Milan on Sunday, a win that has revitalized their Serie A title hopes. The triumph at home has moved Napoli to within three points of leaders Inter Milan.

The Serie A title race has taken a thrilling turn, with Napoli's win coinciding with significant results elsewhere. Inter Milan maintained their lead at the top with a 2-1 win over Udinese, while third-placed Atalanta suffered a setback, losing 1-0 at Fiorentina. Conte's Napoli are now firmly back in the title hunt.

Napoli coach Antonio Conte expressed his satisfaction with his team's 2-1 victory over AC Milan on Sunday, stating that the result allows them to stay in contention for the Serie A title. “It's an important result that allows us to stay in Inter's slipstream and distance ourselves from fifth place,” Conte told DAZN.

Conte acknowledged that Napoli's initial goal was not to secure a Champions League spot, but rather to qualify for European competition. However, with eight months of hard work behind them, Conte believes that his team can achieve something special. “The Champions League places weren't even our initial goal. We started out trying to get into Europe, but now we are there and after eight months of work it would be crazy not to believe in something extraordinary.”

The match saw Napoli dominate the first half, taking a 2-0 lead through goals from Matteo Politano and Romelu Lukaku. However, Milan reduced the deficit in the second half when Luka Jovic scored, forcing Conte to adjust his tactics. Conte praised Milan's strength, saying, “This is one of those days when I hate being a coach. We dominated the first half, but let's not forget that AC Milan are a very good team ... and that they strengthened in January.”

TRIUNFAZO NAPOLITANO 💪💙 pic.twitter.com/cX0SyICcao

— Oficial SSC Napoli (@sscnapoliES) March 30, 2025

Napoli was forced to make some last-minute adjustments to their lineup due to the absence of key players. Scott McTominay was ruled out with flu symptoms, while Leonardo Spinazzola was sidelined with an injury. However, David Neres returned to the starting lineup. Conte explained the challenges he faced, saying, “We lost McTominay at the last minute, so I had to take the risk. Also, I had to force the situation with Frank Anguissa, who returned from international duty with an injury and David Neres hadn't played for a long time either.”

Despite a recent slump, with only one win in their previous seven league matches, Conte believes that Sunday's victory has injected new life into their title pursuit. However, he urged caution, emphasizing the need to take things one step at a time. “We have to be aware that we are doing something extraordinary and miraculous. Yet, we have to be fierce, there are eight games left and then we will think about the future,” the coach added.