Conte counting on Napoli to navigate ´storms and calm waters´ of title race

Despite currently sitting top of Serie A, Antonio Conte insisted Napoli will not get ahead of themselves with so much of the season still to play.

Conte took over after last season’s disappointing title defence, when the club finished 10th in the standings, having had three head coaches across 2023-24.

However, in a remarkable turnaround, the Conte has taken Napoli back into a Scudetto race, where they currently hold a one-point lead over Inter.

Despite that advantage, Napoli are only given a 32.6% chance of lifting the Serie A title this season by the Opta supercomputer, with Inter the current favourites at 61.3%.

Conte likened the Partneopei’s charge to a high-seas voyage, noting that now is not the time to take stock of what they have achieved so far.

“The ship is sailing, and we are on the high seas, and when you are on the high seas you come up against storms and calm waters,” Conte told reporters ahead of Saturday’s game away to Lazio.

“You need to have cool heads and know how to navigate the ship and how to react in different situations. What we need to do now is see the harbour and get there safe and sound, and possibly arrive with what we deserve to achieve.

“But the important thing is to get to the port, safe and sound. Once you get there, you just have to take a breath and understand what happened during the trip.

“As a captain, I have to give the right directions, both in the storm and in calm seas. Because even when the sea is calm, you have to be careful. A captain has to count on the crew. In this case, it’s the players, who are exceptional.”

Napoli have not won any of their last four games against Lazio in Serie A (drawing one, losing three), having won each of the previous four beforehand.

Lazio go into this weekend fourth in the standings on 45 points, 10 behind Napoli, though they have beaten Conte’s side twice this season, in the league and Coppa Italia.

In fact, Lazio can record three wins against Napoli in all competitions in a single season for the first time since 1994-95.

Conte has spoken before about the atmosphere surrounding the club, the high expectations of the media and the criticism of his side, and said he was disappointed to have to confront these topics again and again.

“If you go back in time, in some of my conferences, I’ve talked about the compactness of the environment and I don’t see any of that,” Conte said.

“You have to be careful though. I’m sorry if what I say gets deleted, and then you ask me again when I have already answered about certain situations. Now you are looking for another headline.

“In the press conferences, I always give input and I say things that sometimes, I am sorry to see, are not understood. Either they don’t get it, or they pretend not to.

“In terms of the environment, I expressed myself very clearly three months ago. However, if you ask me this question, it means there’s something wrong, doesn’t it.”