Conte warns Napoli ahead of Chelsea clash: Storm not ending ‘anytime soon’

Napoli coach Antonio Conte warns that ‘the storm is not over, and it won’t be anytime soon’ as the Partenopei injury crisis will drag on for a few more weeks: ‘I expect the fans to be close to the team.’

Napoli suffered an away 3-0 loss against Juventus on Sunday, seeing the Bianconeri move just one point below them in the standings.

The Partenopei have been dealing with an injury crisis for several months, and last night’s match made no exception as the defending Serie A champions travelled to the Allianz Stadium without ten first-team players.

The list of absentees included Kevin De Bruyne, David Neres, Amir Rrahmani, Billy Gilmour, Matteo Politano, Frank Zambo Anguissa and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.

“Even those who were supposed to return have slowed down their comeback. It’s difficult. What I  told the boys is that nobody gets off the boat,” Conte said at a post-match press conference attended by Football Italia on Sunday.

“The boat is out at sea in a storm, but nobody gets off. We all have to be good at handling this moment, which has been on for a while. The storm is not over, and it won’t be anytime soon, so let’s all get ready, and what we must do is not lose confidence, not lose self-belief, not lose enthusiasm. The very things that have set us apart so far, because up to now, extraordinary things have been done, while dealing with very serious situations.”

Napoli will play their last league phase game in the Champions League on Wednesday, hosting Chelsea at the Stadio Maradona, so how will they be preparing for their upcoming European fixture?

“By letting the players rest, helping them recover, preparing the match a bit through video, and at the same time, you also have to touch on psychological aspects,” Conte replied.

“Let’s not forget that before today our last match we had lost was against Udinese. We even won the Supercoppa in an emergency, even if now it has worsened. The environment has to give the boys important support; it’s too easy to be a fan only when things go well. It’s a difficult moment, and I expect the fans to be close to the team, in good and bad times.

“There’s a Champions League match, there’s Coppa Italia. It doesn’t end tomorrow. The problem is that the emergency doesn’t end tomorrow either. We have to be good. United, compact, one single body. We need emergency, positive energy above all from the outside.”