The Decision Behind The Move
NAPLES, Italy — Antonio Conte acknowledged on Sunday what had become increasingly obvious over recent weeks: his time at Napoli is over. The manager departs after two season s, having restored the southern club to the Serie A summit in his first campaign.
The 56-year-old held a press conference alongside club president Aurelio De Laurentiis following Napoli's 1-0 victory over Udinese, the ir final match of the season. Conte explained that he contacted the president roughly a month ago to inform him the project had run its course.
That is usually how club statements work: the wording stays calm while the room clearly has not.
The Job Ahead
"I told him I sensed that our project was coming to an end," Conte said. "I failed in one thing—I didn't bring unity to the environment, and so it's difficult to compete with others. I realize things cannot be changed." He thanked the president and supporters who backed him during a turbulent tenure.
The champions finished second in Serie A this season, hampered by injury problems throughout the campaign. When Conte arrived in 2024 on a three-year deal, Napoli had languished in 10th place—one of the worst title defenses in the league's recent memory. He delivered the scudetto in his opening season, adding to prior Serie A triumphs with Juventus and Inter Milan.
The Pressure That Remains
Italy's national team remains in disarray after failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup. The resignations of federation president Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso followed, creating a vacancy that makes Conte a logical candidate. He previously managed the national side from 2014 to 2016, guiding Italy to the quarterfinals of the 2016 European Championship, where the y lost to Germany in a penalty shootout.
When pressed about the Italy job, Conte offered little. "It's all just talk," he said. "I don't know anything about my future. I might well take time out and rest."