Napoli’s head coach, Antonio Conte, expressed his disappointment after his team was held to a 1-1 draw against Udinese at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The result marked Napoli’s second consecutive stalemate, preventing them from capitalizing on Inter Milan’s earlier slip-up in the Serie A title race.
The draw allowed Napoli to extend their lead over Inter to just four points, with 55 points in total, as they await Inter’s clash with Fiorentina. Despite maintaining their position at the top of the table, Conte lamented the missed opportunity to widen the gap.
Conte’s Post-Match Reflections
Speaking to DAZN after the match, Conte analyzed the team’s performance and highlighted the key moments that cost them victory. “The difficulties of the game were failing to capitalize on important chances and allowing Udinese back into the match immediately after our goal. These were the two crucial phases,” Conte explained.
He also addressed his tactical decisions, particularly regarding substitutions: “At the 70th minute, I wanted to inject fresh energy to enhance our offensive situations. I have five substitutions available, and I used them; there’s no need to always wait until the 85th minute. It’s a shame because I believe we deserved more.”
Conte emphasized Napoli’s dominance in the first half but pointed out their inability to convert chances into goals. “We created a lot in the first half; I’ve seen the statistics. It was a game where we controlled possession and took more shots, but we need to be more clinical,” he said. He also praised Udinese’s quality, singling out Lorenzo Lucca as a standout player: “They have excellent players who will make headlines in bigger teams. Lucca is a dominant player, and we did well to prevent potential counterattacks.”
Conte’s Regret
Conte concluded by expressing regret over dropping two points but remained optimistic about Napoli’s overall performance this season. “È un’ulteriore occasione persa per fare punti per arrivare in Europa,” he stated, translating to: “This is another missed opportunity to earn points for Europe.”
However, he urged perspective on their achievements so far: “Let’s not confuse reality—we are doing something truly extraordinary. Trust me on this. The boys left everything on the pitch today; this is our ninth consecutive positive result. We are undoubtedly achieving something remarkable.”
