Conte: ‘Napoli impeccable, but not even close to being ready to command Calcio’

Antonio Conte insists Napoli are ‘not even close to being ready’ to command Italian football, even after winning the Scudetto and Supercoppa. ‘It was an impeccable tournament.’

This is the third edition of the Supercoppa for the Partenopei, who won it in 1990-91 and again in 2014-15, but notably only the first had been a Double with the Scudetto.

They swept AC Milan aside 2-0 in the semi-final in Riyadh and saw off Bologna with the same result in the Final, David Neres being the hero with both goals this evening.

“The lads deserve congratulations for an impeccable tournament, both against Milan and Bologna,” Conte told Sport Mediaset.

“They showed how much they wanted this trophy for the fans, and we’ll also have a great Christmas celebration now with a new trophy in the cabinet. We are coming off a Scudetto and a Supercoppa Italiana, beating very strong teams like Inter, Milan and Bologna.”

This is only Conte’s second Supercoppa Italiana, after winning at Juventus in 2013-14, and his second piece of silverware at Napoli.

Check the Football Italia Player Ratings for Napoli 2-0 Bologna

Conte said in yesterday’s press conference that only the winners are remembered in Cup Finals, so is this a truly memorable team he is building?

“Those who win remain in history, as don’t forget Napoli lost the Supercoppa Final two years ago against Inter, but few remember that. We had an extraordinary run to win the Scudetto, we beat a great team like Milan in the semi-final, so it was already a great journey, but in football the only thing that matters is who won.

“I can tell you that nobody bothers looking up the beaten finalists, because I’ve lost many as a player and a coach,” continued Conte.

“They made me more determined in that sense, nobody remembers I was runner-up in the World Cup, European Championship finalist, or lost three Champions League Finals. They remember that as a player I won one Champions League and one Intercontinental Cup.

“When you lose a Final, it increases your determination, and you try not to experience those ugly moments again. They hurt because you know that it was a good journey, but you’ve got to put that cherry on top of the cake.”

Bologna were in their first ever edition of the Supercoppa Italiana, having won the Coppa Italia last season, ending a 51-year wait for silverware.

“I do want to congratulate Bologna, because they are real protagonists of Italian football now. They won the Coppa Italia, eliminated Inter in the semi-final, and were highly competitive this evening. Vincenzo Italiano, the players and club deserve praise for all that they are doing.”

Considering they won two of the last three Serie A titles, and now the Supercoppa, are Napoli the leading figures in Italian football now ahead of Inter and Milan?

“No, I wouldn’t feel right saying that at all,” insisted Conte. “I’d be lying if I said that. We won the title last season with a very reduced squad, we introduced many new players this summer, and are therefore not at all ready to be in a commanding position.

“In fact, if you look at the Serie A table, we must try to stay close to the Champions League zone for as long as we possibly can, because this will be a very tough year. Predicting the top four is going to be extremely difficult.

“With humility, we must realise that work is the only way to climb the rankings. I cannot say we are ready to command, because we are not even close to being ready.”

Napoli used the same starting XI that also beat AC Milan in the semi-final on Thursday, with choices limited because Kevin De Bruyne, Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Billy Gilmour and Alex Meret are long-term absentees.

It was put to Conte that Neres created both goals out of nowhere and the win was ultimately thanks to the magic of an individual performance rather than the team.

“If you look at the number of scoring opportunities we created, we could’ve been far more clinical. It was a great performance in every way from the team,” argued Conte.

“The first goal was a moment of magic from an individual, but the other chances were all prepared by analysing how to cause problems for Bologna. Our job as a coach is to increase the knowledge of a player and make him stronger. I feel like everyone I worked with emerged improved, in tactical understanding and movements, but also in mentality.

“Of course, you need quality to resolve situations, but you also need an organised team that can put them in the condition to use that quality.”

Rasmus Hojlund was also very impressive with his work ethic and movement this evening, a far cry from the flop seen at Manchester United.

“Everyone used to say Rasmus didn’t play in Manchester, neither did McTominay, so why? Ask yourselves some questions there. The staff and I had work to do, there is a reason we are here, after all,” concluded Conte.