Crowned Italian champion last season, Antonio Conte managed to offer a fourth Scudetto to Napoli, just two years after the feat achieved by Luciano Spalletti, also titled after a 33-year drought. Very quickly, Conte sent a clear message to his management. Annoyed to have seen his club sell Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint-Germain in the middle of the season, the Partenopei coach demanded a summer transfer window worthy of the name or else set sail. Not really known for spending his millions wildly, president Aurelio De Laurentiis complied and dropped €83 million to offer Sam Beukema, Noa Lang, Miguel Guitiérrez and Luca Marianucci to his coach. Without forgetting the recruitment of Kevin De Bruyne (free) and the arrivals in the form of loan of Rasmus Hojlund and Eljif Elmas.
Unfortunately for Conte, the start of this 2025/2026 season quickly turned into a nightmare. The Neapolitan club lost its star scorer, Romelu Lukaku, in August. Victim of a serious muscle injury, the Belgian must stay away from the field for several months. Shortly after, Conte had to deal with the mixed debut of his team’s other Red Devil, De Bruyne. Often forced to explain himself as soon as he chose to prematurely take the former Mancunian out of a match, Conte ended up losing him to injury. Victim of a serious injury to the biceps femoris of his right thigh, KDB is expected to be unavailable for approximately five months. Then, Antonio Conte also had to deal with the loss of his place as leader of the Serie A standings (4th, two points behind Inter) and more than mixed performances in the Champions League.
The players are fed up!
David Neres’ partners are 24th in the ranking after notable defeats against Manchester City (0-2) and PSV (2-6) and a disappointing draw at home against Eintracht Frankfurt (0-0). And as if that wasn’t enough, Conte is also on bad terms with his summer recruit Noa Lang and he has just learned of Frank Anguissa’s thigh injury with Cameroon. A new XXL physical problem for Napoli since the former Marseillais is announced forfeit until the end of January 2026. At least. As you will have understood, the atmosphere is somewhat tense at the moment at Castel Volturno, the club’s training center. And that’s not about to change. If the players who remained at the club during the international break thought they would take advantage of Antonio Conte’s few days of vacation (he returns Monday, editor’s note) to breathe, they quickly became disillusioned. La Repubblica reveals that the Neapolitan coach has more than ever the support of his president and that he has entrusted his assistant Cristian Stellini with a training program carefully concocted for his flock.
Every day, SSCN residents must “stuff” themselves through three hours of intensive training. Yesterday and today, players are even entitled to a double session “for the sake of continuity”explains the Italian media which adds that these “holiday duties” are above all a very clear message sent to all those who are reluctant in the team. “It’s a way of making the team understand that its working methods are not being called into question, despite the more or less explicit complaints of part of the group”continues the newspaper. Bad news for some in the group. Indeed, La Repubblica ensures that tensions are very present within the locker room and the latest injury, that of Anguissa, has increased them tenfold. The reason? Many believe that the big physical problems that occurred at the club have a link to the high workload imposed by Conte. Except that the Neapolitan coach was very clear: there was no question of changing course. His return to training scheduled for next Monday promises to be lively!
