Antonio Conte hinted that he could leave Napoli at the end of the season as he “cannot live on miracles rather than planning”.
Napoli kept their Serie A title hopes alive on Saturday, with Scott McTominay clinching a 1-0 victory over Monza, moving them level on points with leaders Inter, who do not play until Sunday.
It was their second win in a row, the first time they have managed consecutive victories since December and January (seven in a row in that case).
However, Conte had already sparked controversy following pre-match comments where he said that after eight months at the club, he has realised “there are some things you cannot do” at Napoli.
There have also been reports that the Italian was frustrated by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s mid-season departure and the lack of a replacement.
Napoli had not been predicted to challenge for the Scudetto this season, following their 10th-place finish last year, yet Conte criticised the high expectations placed on him since stepping into the dugout.
“I am happy in Naples, so is my family, as there is sun, wonderful food, the people are welcoming, but that is my private life, and I cannot just stop there,” said Conte.
“I bring with me a responsibility, and you in the media are the first to give it to me, saying that if Conte is on the bench, then the team will win. Seeing as you put that responsibility on me, I don’t want to let the fans down.
“I cannot live on miracles rather than planning.”
Full time: #MonzaNapoli 0-1
#ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/Cq9j3LcX5M
— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) April 19, 2025
Conte specifically picked out his relationship with president Aurelio De Laurentiis, whom he said he will sit down with at the end of the season to discuss his future at the club.
“I have admiration and respect for the president,” Conte added. “They asked me to give a helping hand, and I am doing that, but the Napoli fans want to win, and they have this ambition. If they don’t win, they can become nasty.
“I have to calculate everything; I am not stupid. I put big pressure on myself, but I also need the right weapons to fight with, otherwise, it’s a massacre, and I don’t want to be massacred.
“I will sit down with the president to talk, and then we’ll see. The income from Champions League qualification will arrive. The sale of Kvaratskhelia helped us, but now we’ll talk to the president clearly.
“I gave everything, with interest. Now we want to win along with my lads, who are killing themselves with hard work.
“I have a good rapport with De Laurentiis, but I also need respect. [On Friday], I saw looting and zero respect. I don’t care about that, but I was disappointed with the looting of our projects. I have to protect myself, otherwise, it will have been a wonderful journey together.
“I am doing this for the Napoli fans and also for me. I will not hang my backside out there and let myself be abused.”
Following Conte’s comments on Friday, De Laurentiis noted that he did not appreciate the timing with Napoli in the race for the title.
“Evaluations like this during the process could create unease, so it’s always better to save that for the end,” he told Radio Crc, via Football Italia.
“All football teams are in a process of evolution to the end: the only script you cannot write in advance is that of a football match and the season around it.
“We have a strong and muscular team; we’ll have a lot of fun over the next few years.”
