Antonio Conte's Napoli Tenure in Doubt Despite Scudetto Success

Antonio Conte's future at Napoli is uncertain despite guiding the team to the Serie A title. A strained relationship with owner Aurelio De Laurentiis and concerns over club investment may lead to his departure.

Napoli has been crowned the Serie A champion after a thrilling finale to the season. They secured their fourth Scudetto in the club's history with a 2-0 win over Cagliari on Friday evening, edging out Inter Milan by a single point. Antonio Conte's side held a one-point lead over Inter Milan heading into the final round, and their victory guaranteed the title, regardless of Inter's result.

Key Highlights of Napoli's Title Win:

• Final Standings: Napoli finished the season with 79 points from 37 matches, one point ahead of Inter Milan, who had 78 points.
• Match Details: Scott McTominay opened the scoring with a stunning bicycle kick, while Romelu Lukaku doubled the advantage early in the second half with a calm finish.
• Inter Milan's Efforts: Inter Milan won their final match 2-0 against Como but fell short of catching Napoli.
• Antonio Conte's Achievement: Conte became the first manager to win the Serie A title with three different clubs, solidifying his leadership and tactical expertise.

Despite leading Napoli to their fourth Serie A title and second in three seasons, Antonio Conte's future at the club remains uncertain. The 55-year-old manager has defied expectations, restoring Napoli to the top of Italian football, but his tenure at the club is now in question despite his proven track record as a serial winner.

Antonio Conte's future at Napoli is uncertain due to a strained relationship with owner Aurelio De Laurentiis. Despite guiding the team to the Serie A title, Conte has publicly expressed discontent with certain aspects of De Laurentiis' management style, which may lead to his departure in the summer after just one season. De Laurentiis' history of clashing with coaches adds to the uncertainty surrounding Conte's tenure.

Antonio Conte's future at Napoli hangs in the balance, with the manager hinting that he may leave if the club doesn't meet his expectations this summer. Ahead of a tougher campaign with Champions League football, Conte said: “You have to live in the present... the people want to win and are ambitious. I'm open to everything, but we need to see where we are.” This suggests Conte is willing to reassess his position and potentially depart if his demands aren't met.

Conte the Champion 🏆#4PARTHENOPE #SCUDETTONAPOLI pic.twitter.com/uZlJuPAD3B

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) May 23, 2025

Antonio Conte took charge of Napoli last summer, finding the team in disarray after a poor title defense. He quickly reshaped the team in his image, with Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay becoming key players after joining from Chelsea and Manchester United, respectively. However, Conte was frustrated by the lack of reinforcements early in his tenure, with Napoli already playing two league matches before Lukaku and McTominay were signed.

Aurelio De Laurentiis has a complex reputation, but he successfully revived Napoli from bankruptcy in 2004, establishing them as a top Italian club. If Conte stays, he'll face a tougher schedule without the advantage of fewer games than Inter Milan, who played 17 more matches this season. Conte will need to prove he can handle the demanding fixture list that comes with defending the title.

“I'm happy in Naples and I'm working for fans who give me something emotionally. That's very important. But you know that whoever hires me knows that I bring with me expectations,” said Conte.

”People hire me and think 'you have to finish first or second, even if you finished 10th the year before, and you have to fight for the title, qualifying for Europe isn't enough'.

“I can handle all of that, but I'm not stupid if there aren't the resources in place to achieve that.”

Club Turmoil

Napoli's failed attempt to sell Victor Osimhen to a big-money buyer, followed by his loan to Galatasaray, and the January sale of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint-Germain, left Antonio Conte questioning his future at the club.

And for all De Laurentiis' outlandish behaviour and disregard for other people's wishes, he took control of bankrupt Napoli in 2004 and re-established them as one of Italy's top clubs.

If he stays, Conte will have to prove that he is capable of handling the sort of punishing schedule deposed champions Inter Milan have had to deal with.

Inter have played 17 more games than Napoli this year and that has clearly helped Conte's team, an advantage that neither he nor the club will be able to lean on next season.

Antonio Conte has a history of speaking out about financial constraints at his former clubs. In 2014, he left Juventus, citing lack of investment as a reason for his European disappointments. Conte famously quipped that managing Juve was like being given 10 euros to spend in a 100-euro restaurant, a comment that was later vindicated when his successor, Massimiliano Allegri, took Juve to two Champions League finals in three seasons.