Di Canio: Conte will ‘make a decision’ about Serie A and Champions League

Paolo Di Canio insists Napoli no longer have the same hunger they had last season and hints that Antonio Conte will prioritise Serie A to become the first coach to win two consecutive titles at the Stadio Maradona.

Napoli are the joint-Serie A table leaders alongside Roma. On Tuesday, the defending champions needed a goal from Zambo Anguissa and a penalty-kick save from Vanja Milinkovic-Savic to grab all three points against Lecce.

“If Camarda had scored that penalty, would Napoli have had the strength to win it?” Di Canio asked during Sky Sport Italia’s post-match show on Wednesday.

“They seem to be always struggling. The same against Inter. They broke the deadlock with that penalty.

“After the defeat against Verona last season, you could see a reaction and a determined and angry team,” continued Di Canio.

“I don’t think Conte plays a game when he says that this will be a difficult season. His best placement in the Champions League has been in the quarter-finals. He knows how much energy this competition takes away from the team.

“He’d like to step into this dimension with a new playing style too, four attacking midfielders, but the balance is something different, and because of the energy you have to put there, the risk is to lose something more compared to last season.

“I’m convinced he’ll make a decision depending on how the league goes. I’m not saying he’ll drop the Champions League, but he has pride, and nobody has ever won two consecutive Serie A titles at Napoli.

“I think he can make it because the only other genuine contender I see for now is Inter. Then we’ll see if the others will improve, especially Milan.”