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Napoli's Path to the Scudetto: Conte's Confidence and Tactical Insights

Exploring Napoli's journey towards the Serie A title through Antonio Conte's post-match reflections and tactical assessments following the victory over Cagliari.

Napoli's Path to the Scudetto: Conte's Confidence and Tactical Insights

The Napoli manager's comments following the victory in Cagliari. Napoli manager Antonio Conte spoke to DAZN following the 1-0 away win against Cagliari on Matchday 30:Chances of winning the Scudetto? “The return of certain players is certainly important, but it’s crucial to be at 100%. Anguissa and McTominay aren’t quite at their best yet, whilst Kevin looked good. Lobo struggled a bit, and we need to get Rrahmani and Di Lorenzo back – let’s hope we can do that. I think it’ll be difficult for Neres. We’ve held our own over these seven months; now we need to qualify for the Champions League, but we know other teams want to do the same. No one should stop us from looking ahead; today we’ve put a bit of pressure on those ahead of us.”Did you expect more from the midfield and the attacking midfield? "We made too many mistakes; we could have done better and taken more control of the game, given that Cagliari weren’t pressing us. In the second half we went in search of a second goal; in games like this, anything can happen. We go into the break with three points, waiting to see what the others do. Three points for the Champions League places – we’ve been extraordinary over the last seven months in staying among the top teams. We’re keeping an eye on those ahead of us, but we’re not getting ahead of ourselves; it doesn’t take much to be overtaken by those behind.”Chances of winning the title? "The return of certain players is certainly important, but it’s crucial to be at 100%. Anguissa and McTominay aren’t quite back to their best yet, whereas Kevin has looked good. Lobo has struggled a bit, and we need to get Rrahmani and Di Lorenzo back – let’s hope we can do that. I think it’ll be difficult for Neres. We’ve held our own over these seven months; now we need to qualify for the Champions League, but we know other teams want to do the same. No one should stop us from looking ahead; today we’ve put a bit of pressure on those ahead of us.”Was it important not to concede a goal? "It was important to keep a clean sheet after 11 games; Cagliari didn’t have a single shot on target today. We all defended well: there was great commitment and determination. The lads understood the importance of the match, even though we’re struggling a bit to convert our chances."Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingThen at the press conference:“We need to be more clinical; going 2-0 up would have given us more peace of mind. I always tell the lads, a 1-0 lead doesn’t give you any peace of mind at all, because a corner, a long ball, a rebound or a scramble in the box, you risk conceding an equaliser and throwing away two points. However, we did well and I’m very pleased with what we’re doing, because I keep saying that what we’ve achieved so far, over these seven months, has been extraordinary – seven months in which, despite major crises, we’ve still managed to stay up there among the top teams.Now all the players are coming back, even those who’ve been out long-term; they’re not quite at their best yet, but having them all available gives me the chance to make changes and, even during the match, to inject new life, new energy into the team, and bring in fresh quality.Is the double playmaker setup with McTominay and De Bruyne in their natural positions something that needs fine-tuning to reach its full potential? "The double playmaker setup is a bit… it’s not exactly a new concept, no, because the way we’re playing with this midfield quartet, the players can change: Lobotka can play alongside Anguissa, McTominay can play with Gilmour, or Elmas with Lobotka – so the double playmaker setup has always been there since we changed our system. Then the players might change, but the concept remains the same in terms of movement and what they need to do. It’s inevitable that when you have two specific playmakers, you lose a bit of physicality, because without McTominay or Anguissa in the middle of the park, or Elif himself, you lose a bit of physicality; perhaps you gain more quality, you should gain a bit more quality in passing. However, we’ve always used the double playmaker system; the players may change, but we’ve been working on the four-man midfield since I returned, that is, after the break we had in November. And we’ll continue because, in any case, it’s a system I like and it causes problems for our opponents.”How pleased are you that Napoli have kept a clean sheet again? "First and foremost, I’m pleased with the win – our fourth in a row – which comes just before the international break. The last time, as you’ll recall, we lost in Bologna and we were pretty angry for the following fortnight. Now we have the chance to enjoy these two weeks before facing Milan when the league resumes. At the same time, we’ve finally kept a clean sheet. Today we did well not to let them get shots on goal, as we conceded zero shots on target. I’m pleased from that point of view, though a little less pleased with our finishing because we still need to be better, more clinical and more ruthless when we get into scoring positions."

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Antonio Conte's Post-Match Analysis

Following Napoli's hard-fought 1-0 victory against Cagliari on Matchday 30, manager Antonio Conte expressed confidence in his team's pursuit of winning the Scudetto. Conte highlighted the importance of having key players back to full fitness, emphasizing the need for maximum effort and performance levels. While acknowledging the challenges posed by upcoming fixtures, Conte remained optimistic about Napoli's chances.

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Midfield and Attacking Midfield Performance

Conte admitted that Napoli's midfield and attacking midfield could have performed better in the Cagliari match. He highlighted the team's need to minimize errors and seize control of games, especially against defensive opponents. Despite the imperfections, Conte praised the team's resilience and focus on securing three crucial points for their Champions League qualification bid.

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Defensive Solidity and Clean Sheet Streak

Maintaining a clean sheet against Cagliari marked Napoli's 11th consecutive game without conceding a goal, showcasing the team's defensive solidarity. Conte commended the players' commitment and defensive organization, underscoring the significance of collective effort in preserving leads and clinching victories.

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Tactical Reflections and System Adaptations

Conte elaborated on Napoli's tactical flexibility, particularly in deploying a double playmaker system with players like McTominay and De Bruyne. While acknowledging the trade-off between physicality and creativity, Conte emphasized the system's strategic value in posing challenges to opponents. He highlighted the importance of player rotations and injecting new energy into the team during matches.

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Looking Ahead and Title Aspirations

Conte emphasized the team's focus on qualifying for the Champions League while keeping an eye on the Scudetto race. With key players returning from injuries, Conte is determined to fine-tune Napoli's performance and maintain their competitive edge. Despite the intense competition and unpredictability of Serie A, Conte remains resolute in Napoli's aim to challenge for the league title.

Published on Mar 20, 2026