Antonio Conte has taken Napoli back to the top of Serie A for the first time since they won the title in 2023 but he says while the fans can dream of regaining the crown “I have to keep my feet on the ground.”
The next test of their title credentials comes on Friday as they host in-form Como, coached by former Spain and Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas.
Napoli, perhaps benefitting from not being engaged in European competition, after a disastrous defence of their crown resulted in them finishing 10th last season, go into the seventh round of matches a point clear of Juventus at the top.
However, it is a congested table with AC Milan, Inter Milan and previous tabletoppers Torino just two points off Napoli on 11.
A further three clubs are on 10 points and Como, on the back of two successive victories, are a respectable 10th with eight points.
Inter Milan host Torino on Saturday, coming into the game fresh from a good win in the Champions League league phase — and with Argentinian star Lautaro Martinez rediscovering his scoring form.
Torino will want to get back to winning ways after two successive home defeats, in the cup against Empoli and then to Lazio in the league.
Juventus and AC Milan both have good opportunities to pick up three points to keep the pressure on Napoli.
Juventus host lowly Cagliari on Sunday with AC Milan travelling to mid-table Fiorentina.
Little wonder the no-nonsense Conte is not permitting himself to make any bold predictions with the season still young.
Indeed the 55-year-old, who has won the Serie A title four times as a coach — guiding Juventus to three Scudettos and Inter Milan to one — sees both sides of the coin regarding the southern side’s lack of involvement in European competition.
“There is an advantage and a disadvantage — the advantage is that you can train the team all week, the disadvantage is that the squad is not as competitive as those that do play in Europe,” Conte told DAZN.
– ‘High expectations’ –
Conte, who due to being a proven winner is regarded as worth hiring despite a history of taking on club directors, said so much had happened at the club recently — including the departure of Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen, in a surprising loan move to Turkish club Galatasaray — they still need time to settle down.
“Not even three months have passed, the president (Aurelio De Laurentiis) is the first to have spoken of a total reconstruction,” he said.
“Osimhen and (Piotr) Zielinski left. I know there are high expectations for me because I have done important things.
“Let’s let the fans dream, but I have to keep my feet on the ground. I hear people talking who know nothing about Scudettos.”
Fabregas is making a good fist of his first senior coaching role, his side winning 3-2 in both their last two Serie A matches against Atalanta and Verona.
Patrick Cutrone is showing the form that earned him an Italy cap in 2018. His brace against Verona took the 26-year-old’s tally to four for the campaign.
He faces a sterner test in the Napoli defence, who have conceded just four goals so far, and Fabregas is more concerned by his own defenders, who have let in 11.
“We can’t keep conceding two goals in every match, so we should keep analysing our mistakes and improve,” the 37-year-old World Cup winning midfielder told HellasLive.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
The Argentinian’s goal in the 4-0 Champions League rout of Red Star Belgrade, hot on the heels of a double in the Serie A win at Udinese last weekend, underlined the 27-year-old’s return to form after a barren start to the season.
Martinez came on as a substitute in the romp on Tuesday to notch a 71st minute goal but will expect to return to the starting lineup for the visit of Torino on Saturday.
Fixtures (all 1300 GMT unless stated)
Friday
Napoli v Como (1630), Verona v Venezia (1845)
Saturday
Udinese v Lecce, Atalanta v Genoa (1600), Inter Milan v Torino (1845)
Sunday
Juventus v Cagliari (1030), Bologna v Parma, Lazio v Empoli, Monza v Roma (1600), Fiorentina v AC Milan (1845)
pi/gj
