As soon as he lifts the Serie A championship trophy, he departs. Coach Antonio Conte is preparing to part ways with Napoli after one year.
Italy's 'Gianluca Di Marzio' reported on the 26th (Korean time) that "Conte and Napoli are at risk of separation. The choice for the Napoli bench is Massimiliano Allegri. Both sides are working to resolve the situation immediately."
The media reported, "Napoli began planning the club's future, starting with the coach, after achieving the 4th Scudetto in history. The relationship with Conte is gradually moving towards an end. A meeting is scheduled to check the situation between the club and Conte after the Pope's visit. However, currently, intentions, strategies, and the atmosphere are all heading in one direction."
It is not an unilaterally dismissal. Both sides are expected to part ways amicably through mutual agreement. Di Marzio explained, "This relationship is expected to end without any significant rift. Conte and Napoli will remain on good terms as family. The reasons for this decision are diverse and not limited to financial or transfer market aspects."
Conte is just before leaving Napoli right after winning. He immediately led the team to the top of Serie A after his appointment this season. Napoli secured the championship by defeating Cagliari 2-0 in the final league match held on the 24th, achieving 82 points (24 wins, 10 draws, 4 losses).
It was an exhilarating victory. Under the guidance of 'victory specialist' Conte, Napoli surged ahead from the beginning. They toppled opponents with Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay and steadily accumulated points with the league's strongest defensive capability.
Napoli faced fluctuations in the second half and even surrendered the top spot to Inter Milan. However, as the season came to a close, Inter Milan began to slip while competing in the UEFA Champions League, and Napoli seized the opportunity to reclaim the lead. They captured the Scudetto for the first time in two years following the 2022-2023 season, defeating Cagliari in the decisive final match held at home, where Kim Min-jae also played a significant role.
With this, Coach Conte became the first manager to lift trophies with three different Serie A teams, following Juventus and Inter Milan. Moreover, he achieved the remarkable feat of leading a team that finished 10th last season to victory. Additionally, Conte's Napoli reached the top with a defensive strategy, conceding only 27 goals and scoring 59, placing them among the lowest-scoring championship teams in history.
Conte, who immediately proved his prowess as a 'victory specialist' after leaving Tottenham, took charge of Tottenham in November 2021, raising the team to 4th place but fell into a slump the following season. Despite having Son Heung-min and Harry Kane, Conte deployed overly defensive tactics, leading to poor performance and results. Calls for his dismissal grew ever louder.
In March 2023, Conte lost his composure and made explosive comments. He criticized the Tottenham players, saying, "The 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."
It did not end there. Conte also remarked, "The club and the players have no desire for victory," adding, "This is Tottenham's story. For 20 years, the same owner has been in place, but nothing has been achieved. The blame always falls on the coaches," pointing out Tottenham's 'trophy-less DNA.'
Ultimately, Conte, who made excessive comments, immediately stepped down from his role at Tottenham. It was essentially a dismissal. He left the team without lifting any trophies for the first time since joining Juventus in 2011.
Conte, who succeeded in rekindling his career at Napoli, stated, "It is truly wonderful. There were so many people that it was hard to get into the stadium. I thought it would stay in my heart for a long time if I disappointed the fans. The players performed excellently under pressure. A team that finished 10th last season deserves praise for winning."
Moreover, Conte emphasized, "Honestly, winning at Napoli is really difficult. It was an unexpected challenge in my career. I raised the 10th place Napoli, which was in disarray, to the top. I had to persuade the players to stay and produce positive results. Winning twice in three years is special."
However, he did not promise to continue with Napoli next season. When asked to stay with the team, Conte responded, "I maintain a good relationship with President Aurelio De Laurentiis. We are all winners," avoiding a direct answer.
Ultimately, he plans to leave Napoli after just one season. He is likely to return to Juventus, a Serie A rival club, where he managed from 2011 to 2014. This season, Juventus finished 4th in the league, securing a last-minute spot in the UEFA Champions League for next season.
The next head coach of Napoli is likely to be Allegri, who was dismissed from Juventus in 2024. Di Marzio reported, "Allegri is Napoli's first choice. They want to finalize the contract immediately to avoid any potential interference from Inter Milan or AC Milan after the Champions League final."
Another Italian journalist, Alfredo Pedullà, also stated, "Juventus is targeting Conte and Victor Osimhen from Napoli. Napoli wants Allegri as their new coach in case Conte leaves. The engagement between Allegri and Napoli has already been made public and remains unchanged."
Currently, Napoli is preparing to acquire Kevin De Bruyne as a gift for Allegri's appointment. De Bruyne is reportedly close to leaving Manchester City at the end of this season and is nearing a transfer to Napoli. His wife prefers Napoli and has even looked for a house. Di Marzio stated, "De Bruyne's willingness to finalize all details, as reported in recent days, remains strong."
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