The coach reflects on the calendar year after the victory in Cremona: `A beautiful 2025. Whenever a team outside Inter, Juve, and Milan wins, it means something truly extraordinary has been achieved.`
The year 2025 could not have concluded in a better fashion for Napoli and their manager, Antonio Conte. A crucial away victory against Cremonese keeps the Azzurri firmly positioned near the top of the league table, following their recent triumph in the Italian Supercoppa.
“We are celebrating a beautiful year where we achieved something unexpected and extraordinary, winning the Scudetto and crowning it with the Supercoppa, where we beat Inter, Milan, and Bologna. It was a calendar year full of emotion. Here in Naples, the celebrations are unique,” the coach remarked after the match.
“We celebrated the Scudetto and the Supercoppa, and in the league, we are fighting hard to stay close to the top positions. We are managing this despite facing very serious problems like brave men, and I must acknowledge the lads—they want to honor the Scudetto on their chests and make the fans proud,” Conte added.
Chapter Hojlund: Dominant Development
Rasmus Hojlund, who scored the decisive brace that overcame Cremonese, earned special praise from the coach. “He is a very young player, only 22 years old, and he has vast room for improvement. Since he arrived, he has become a dominant player. He is grasping his position, how to move, and when to drop deep; he is very connected to the team.”
“In my football philosophy, strikers are crucial and play a particular role in the flow of the game. Hojlund has incredible potential for growth,” the coach noted.
Injury Struggles and Resilience
Napoli continues to hold firm despite numerous setbacks due to injury. Conte drew inspiration from history: “`Hannibal used to say that if there is no road, we must build one,` and we are doing exactly that with dedication.”
The team has been significantly hampered, missing key players such as Meret, Anguissa, De Bruyne, Lukaku, and Gilmour. “The only hope I have is that they return soon. The injuries are serious, so we must be patient and understand what condition they will return in; we must take that into account,” Conte concluded regarding the squad fitness.
On the Quest for Dominance
Conte revisited his earlier declarations concerning Napoli`s standing, stating that the team should not yet be considered a dominant force in Serie A.
“We are not ready yet for many reasons. Today, for me, Juventus, Inter, and Milan are fundamentally different from the rest in terms of club structure, associated clubs, wage bills, and overall asset value. But every time a team that is not one of those three manages to win, it means something truly extraordinary has been achieved.”
He concluded: “We cannot bury our heads in the sand and ignore these differences. We try to overcome them on the pitch, but we are talking about very different realities.”
