Once again, it is proving true that Tottenham Hotspur was wrong. Shortly after manager Antonio Conte left Tottenham, he is leading Napoli closer to the Serie A championship.
Napoli drew 2-2 against Genoa in the 36th round of the 2024-2025 Serie A, held at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples, Italy, on the 12th (Korea time). They missed out on a victory they had almost secured after conceding an equalizer to Johan Vasquez in the 39th minute of the second half.
Even with this disappointing draw, Napoli maintained first place in the league with 78 points (23 wins, 9 draws, 4 losses). They have allowed a 1-point chase by second-place Inter Milan (77 points), but they are still in a favorable position.
On that day, Napoli took the lead with a goal from Romelu Lukaku in the 15th minute of the first half. Lukaku found the net with a right-footed shot after breaking away behind the defensive line. However, in the 32nd minute of the first half, goalkeeper Alex Meret conceded an own goal after blocking an opponent's header, allowing the score to level at 1-1.
Napoli came closer to victory again. In the 19th minute of the second half, Giacomo Raspadori broke through the defense with a brilliant touch and movement before scoring with a powerful shot. However, Napoli could not withstand the last 10 minutes. In the 39th minute of the second half, despite having several defenders in the box, they failed to stop Vasquez's header and conceded the equalizer. The match ended as is.
Napoli could only add 1 point at home. However, since they were not defeated, if they do not slip here, a self-reliant championship is also possible. There are only two matches left until the end of the season.
The schedule is also more favorable for Napoli. They are set to face 16th place Parma and 14th place Cagliari. On the other hand, Inter will face 5th place Lazio, who are competing in the UEFA Champions League, followed by 10th place Como.
Moreover, unlike Napoli, Inter cannot focus solely on the Serie A championship race. They must compete in the UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on the 22nd. They are more likely to prioritize the title in the UEFA Champions League, which is inherently more challenging than Serie A.
Sports statistics outlet 'Opta' also predicted Napoli's championship. According to simulations using supercomputers, Napoli's championship probability stands at 71.8%, over three times that of Inter (21.2%). They have virtually climbed over the 80% mark. If they navigate these two matches well, Napoli will reclaim the championship trophy after two years since the 2022-2023 season with Kim Min-jae.
If Napoli ascends to the summit as is, it will once again prove Conte's leadership. Upon joining Napoli this season, he will lead the team to victory, claiming his fifth 'Scudetto (Serie A championship emblem)' in his career. This is an even more remarkable achievement since Napoli finished in 10th place last season.
This is another example of the 'Tottenham effect.' 'The championship specialist' Conte managed Tottenham before taking over Napoli. He joined midway in November 2021 and helped Tottenham secure 4th place, earning praise.
However, expectations quickly turned into disappointment. Even with Son Heung-min and Harry Kane, Conte employed excessively defensive strategies, leading to poor performance and results. Voices calling for his dismissal grew louder over time.
Conte, losing his composure, made bombshell remarks in March 2023. He criticized the players in a press conference, saying, "Tottenham players are selfish and do not help each other. They do not play for something important. They do not want to play under pressure and stress."
That was not the end. Conte pointed out, "The club and the players have no desire to win," and emphasized, "This is the story of Tottenham. There has been the same owner for 20 years, yet nothing has been achieved. The fault falls solely on the managers," highlighting Tottenham's 'winless DNA.'
Ultimately, Conte made over-the-top statements and soon stepped down from leading Tottenham. This was, in effect, a dismissal. He left the team without lifting a single trophy since taking charge at Juventus in 2011.
However, ultimately, while Conte's words may have been excessive, they were not wrong. Tottenham set a new record with 20 losses in 36 league matches, marking the highest number of losses since the inception of the Premier League. If they lose just one more match, they will establish the record for the most losses in a single season under the 38-match system in the club's history. In contrast, Conte has shown a completely different path since joining Napoli, as they are on the brink of winning the Serie A championship.
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