Video: The spotlight is on Napoli but Conte has strong support

Football Italia expert Alfredo Pedullà analyses the latest situation surrounding Antonio Conte and Napoli, the ‘exaggerated’ stories regarding the coach’s absence from training this week and the unlikelihood of his handing in his resignation any time soon. 

The spotlight has been cast on Napoli and head coach Conte in the Italian press over the last week. 

The Partenopei sit just two points off the top of the Serie A table, having led the division earlier this campaign, but have only won two of their last league matches and have failed to score in any of their last three across all competitions. 

There had been suggestions following the weekend’s 2-0 loss against Bologna that Conte had been considering tendering his resignation, which Pedullà does not see as a realistic situation. 

Pedullà describes the partnership between Conte and Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis as a ‘real relationship’ and one that is ‘of great consistency’ and ‘of strong support’. 

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Conte would take the week off training during the international break, in order to rest and re-set, and given that he has hardly any first-team players to work with at Castel Volturno anyway. 

Pedullà describes this as a ‘period of relaxation’ for Conte, and argues that the story has been ‘amplified’ by certain outlets to make the situation sound more sever than it actually is. 

Watch the full video below.