The coach reflects on the calendar year following the win in Cremona: “With the Scudetto and the Super Cup, 2025 has been wonderful: ‘Every time a team other than Inter, Juve, or Milan wins, it means something extraordinary has been achieved’”
2025 couldn’t have ended any better for Napoli and Antonio Conte. An away win against Cremonese keeps the Azzurri in the hunt at the top of the table, following their victory in the Italian Super Cup. “We’re celebrating a wonderful year, where we achieved something extraordinary and unexpected—winning the Scudetto and capping it off with the Super Cup, where we beat Inter, Milan, and Bologna. It’s been a year full of excitement, and in Naples, we celebrate in a different and unique way. We’ve celebrated the Scudetto and the Super Cup, and in the league, we’re right there, trying to stay close to the top spots. We’re doing it, even though we’re facing very serious challenges—as brave men—and I have to give credit to the guys; they want to honor the Scudetto on their chests and make the fans proud,” the coach noted at the end of the match.
Honorable mention for Rasmus Hojlund, who scored the two goals that knocked out Cremonese. “He’s a very young player—he’s only 22—and he has a lot of room to grow. Since he arrived, he’s become a dominant player. He’s understanding his position, how to move, and when to make runs; he’s very connected with the team. In my style of play, forwards are crucial and play a specific role in the flow of the game. Hojlund has incredible potential for improvement.” Napoli, therefore, continues to hold its own despite the many injuries. “Hannibal said that if there is no road, you must build one, and we are doing so with dedication. We’ve been without Meret, Anguissa, De Bruyne, Lukaku, and Gilmour. My only hope is that they can return soon. The injuries are serious; we’ll need to be patient and understand what condition they’ll be in when they return—we have to take that into account,” the coach continued.
“We’re not ready”— Conte’s comments regarding the fact that Napoli cannot be considered a dominant team in Serie A had given pause for thought. The coach returned to the subject. “We’re not ready yet for many reasons. Today, in my view, Juventus, Inter, and Milan are different from the others in terms of structure, reserve teams, payroll, and asset value. But every time a team other than these three wins, it means something extraordinary has been achieved. We can’t bury our heads in the sand and ignore these differences; we try to compete on the field, but we’re talking about very different realities,” he concluded.
