Antonio Conte is calling for calm as Napoli get ready for the Supercoppa Italiana, warning that Romelu Lukaku’s minutes against AC Milan in Saudi Arabia on Thursday are likely to be carefully managed despite
the striker’s long-awaited return from injury.
Napoli meet Milan in the semi-final, with the winner facing either Bologna or Inter in Monday’s final. Conte wants progress in the four-team event, yet the coach is keen to avoid any rush with Lukaku’s comeback after a long spell out.
Lukaku only rejoined full training this week after a high-grade thigh tear suffered against Olympiacos in a pre-season friendly in August, on the eve of the Serie A campaign. Belgium’s record scorer then underwent surgery, while Napoli stayed in the Scudetto race without using Lukaku at all.
Conte stressed that the striker’s fitness must be handled with extreme care, outlining the approach to Thursday’s Supercoppa Italiana tie. "Romelu has no minutes in his legs," the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss said at Wednesday's pre-match press conference. "We have to be good and have the patience to wait for the right moment. The fact that he is back in the group is good, because he is a player with great importance for us. We will have to be patient and carry out the physical tests to understand when he can return without the slightest danger of him having to stop again. "
Lukaku’s value to Napoli was clear last season, when the club captured the Scudetto for only the second time since the Diego Maradona era. Across all competitions, Lukaku played 38 matches and topped the squad for goals, expected goals, assists and total goal contributions.
Those 25 goal involvements were at least eight more than any Napoli team-mate, with Scott McTominay next on 17. Such figures explain why Conte views Lukaku as central to Napoli’s ambitions, even if the Supercoppa Italiana will likely mark only a staged return rather than an immediate full role.
While Lukaku’s situation is a major focus, Napoli also face a notable occasion from a historical angle. Thursday’s clash is the first Supercoppa Italiana meeting between Napoli and Milan, and only the second time they have played at a neutral venue in any competition, after Milan’s 2-0 Coppa Italia final victory in Rome in the 1971-72 season.
Current form gives the tie extra intrigue. Napoli sit just one point behind the Rossoneri in Serie A but have suffered back-to-back defeats in all competitions, against Udinese and Benfica. A further loss would bring three straight defeats for the first time since December 2023 under Walter Mazzarri, when Real Madrid, Inter and Juventus all beat Napoli.
Conte, though, prefers to focus on response rather than risk. "We all want to experience it [the Supercoppa] well, giving everything and possibly hoping to extend our stay until Monday," Conte said. "Lots of different situations come up throughout the year. We're coming from five wins and now two defeats. We've had different moments in each game. The important thing is to work hard, with seriousness, desire, determination and the right enthusiasm. We have to manage victories and defeats in a similar way. Wins can bring you confidence, and in defeat, you have to look at the 'why'. You have to analyse everything well. You have to be good at managing everything and going through your work, especially when you play every three days. "
