The Selection Puzzle
Antonio Conte has never been one to linger. After guiding Napoli to its fourth Serie A title in his first season, the fiery coach is now openly campaigning for the vacant Italy job—a role he held at the European Championship a decade ago.
"If I were the federation president I would consider myself," Conte said after Napoli's 1-0 victory over AC Milan on Monday. "I've already been with the national team and I know what it's like."
The trophy did not need much decoration; the season had already done most of the talking.
The Italy position opened after the Azzurri failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup. The federation itself is in flux: president Gabriele Gravina announced his resignation, with new elections called for June 22.
Conte's pattern is well-documented. He left Bari immediately after winning Serie B in 2009, Juventus after a third straight Serie A title in 2014, Chelsea after the FA Cup in 2018, and Inter after their Serie A triumph in 2021. Each exit came shortly after a trophy.
The Fitness Questions
Napoli remains in the hunt for now, having leapfrogged Milan into second place. They trail Inter Milan by seven points with seven rounds remaining—a deficit Conte calls unrealistic to overcome.
"We would have to be perfect and Inter would have to make several missteps," he said. "And from what we've seen, that seems unlikely because Inter is strong."
Around the league, Inter visits Como on Sunday seeking its first victory since February. The trip from Appiano Gentile to Sinigaglia is under 20 kilometers—roughly half the distance to San Siro. Como held Inter to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals last month, with the return scheduled for April 21.
Hakan Calhanoglu produced one of the season's goals against Roma last weekend, a 30-meter strike that dipped under the bar. It was his ninth Serie A goal, and he recently helped Turkey qualify for its first World Cup since 2002.
The Warm-Up Before It Counts
Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic will miss another three weeks with a calf injury—his second muscular issue this season. The injury could affect his contract negotiations, with the club offering a brief extension at a reduced salary.
Asked about solutions to Italy's struggles, Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti suggested requiring every Serie A club to field at least one Italian under-19 player in its starting lineup. Spalletti was fired as Italy coach last year after the Azzurri lost their opening qualifier to Norway.
Conte has built a career on short bursts and sharper exits. Whether Italy represents a final chapter or another stop in a longer sequence may depend less on his ambition than on who ultimately holds the federation keys come June.