Napoli midfielder Lobotka jokes: ‘With Conte, our next day off will be in May’

Stanislav Lobotka has offered a light-hearted glimpse into life under Antonio Conte, joking that rest days are few and far between under the demanding Napoli coach.

Speaking on Slovak podcast Iná liga alongside compatriot Patrik Hrosovsky, the midfielder laughed off the idea of time off during his recent injury.

“Rest? With Conte, our next day off will be in May 2026 when we play the last game of the season!” Lobotka said, with quotes via the Corriere dello Sport.

“If it were up to him, we’d go on holiday with him. He wants discipline, he wants everyone to share his mentality. It’s not easy when you have 25 players, but the key is that everyone wants to win – that’s what matters to him.”

Recovering from a muscle injury, Lobotka added with a smile that he was even ready to fill in at right-back if needed: “When I was younger, my coach once made me play there. I told him I could do it again if the team needed me.”

He also spoke with admiration about working under Conte: “He’s different from every coach I’ve ever had. He teaches you that every metre you run must have a purpose. His training is exhausting, physically and mentally, but it builds you up. When everything clicks, it feels like the team becomes a perfect machine.”

Lobotka signed for Napoli in 2020 from La Liga side Celta Vigo, for around €24 million, and has since become a reliable squad player in Naples.

He has over 200 appearances for the Partenopei in all competitions, scoring two goals. Meanwhile, he has continued to impress for the Slovak national team as they look to book their place in next year’s World Cup.